Peter Fechter, RIP.

In 1962 I was 9 years old. I still remember the shock of seeing and reading my parents' Time magazine about a young man being shot and languishing to die in "no man's land". An 18-year old for me -at that time- was a man. Yet, somehow, I remember feeling that Peter Fechter (I didn't know his name until today) was not a "real adult", and he had met a terribly cruel fate. The effect of the news was so chilling, that I never ever forgot. It has been 45 years since Peter Fechter died. But I still remember. I hope there are many others like me around.

Here is the report of that long-ago time, as recorded in Time Magazine.

East Germany check point charlie Peter Fechter Berlin Wall