![Charles Hawley on Twitter: "Peter Strelzyk, who escaped E. Germany in hot air balloon, has died. I remember reading "Night Crossing" as a teen. https://t.co/CwwAUszP5Q https://t.co/6M6uADYta0" / Twitter Charles Hawley on Twitter: "Peter Strelzyk, who escaped E. Germany in hot air balloon, has died. I remember reading "Night Crossing" as a teen. https://t.co/CwwAUszP5Q https://t.co/6M6uADYta0" / Twitter](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C64bs7rWsAAN5R8.jpg)
Charles Hawley on Twitter: "Peter Strelzyk, who escaped E. Germany in hot air balloon, has died. I remember reading "Night Crossing" as a teen. https://t.co/CwwAUszP5Q https://t.co/6M6uADYta0" / Twitter
![Peter Strelzyk (L), his wife Doris (2L), their sons Frank (2R) and Andreas (R) stand in front of a painting depicting their spectacular balloon escape and a part of the original balloon Peter Strelzyk (L), his wife Doris (2L), their sons Frank (2R) and Andreas (R) stand in front of a painting depicting their spectacular balloon escape and a part of the original balloon](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D4308B/peter-strelzyk-l-his-wife-doris-2l-their-sons-frank-2r-and-andreas-r-stand-in-front-of-a-painting-depicting-their-spectacular-balloon-escape-and-a-part-of-the-original-balloon-at-a-berlin-wall-museum-in-berlin-september-15-2004-strelzyk-and-his-family-escaped-the-former-communist-east-german-regime-25-years-ago-on-september-16-1979-in-a-self-made-balloon-2D4308B.jpg)
Peter Strelzyk (L), his wife Doris (2L), their sons Frank (2R) and Andreas (R) stand in front of a painting depicting their spectacular balloon escape and a part of the original balloon
![How 2 Families Fled East Germany in A Homemade Hot Air Balloon | by Rameen Zeeshan | Lessons from History | Medium How 2 Families Fled East Germany in A Homemade Hot Air Balloon | by Rameen Zeeshan | Lessons from History | Medium](https://miro.medium.com/max/1304/0*7_7OrZZBfnU2tvC7.jpeg)