Regierungsvierte in Berlin in Mitte, Germany — Northeast German Plain (The European Plain)
Axel Hannemann
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, September 3, 2025
1. Axel Hannemann white cross
* 27.04.1945
† 05.06.1962
Ohne Wissen seiner Familie reiste Axel Hannemann a 5. Juni 1962 von Cottbus nach Berlin.
Von einer Brücke nahe dem Reichstag sprang er gegen 17:15 Uhr auf ein in den Westen fahrendes Schiff, das die DDR - Kontrolle schon hinter sich hatte. Der Schiffsführer bemerkte ihn und Hannemann sprang in die Spree, um nach West- Berlin zu schwimmen. Zwei DDR-Grenzposten eröffneten das Feuer. Von einem Durchschuss am Kopf tödlich getroffen, ging er unter.
(English translation:)
Axel Hannemann
Born April 27, 1945
Died June 5, 1962
Without his family's knowledge, Axel Hannemann traveled from Cottbus to Berlin on June 5, 1962.
At around 5:15 p.m., he jumped from a bridge near the Reichstag onto a ship bound for the West that had already passed through East German control. The ship's captain noticed him, and Hannemann jumped into the Spree River to swim to West Berlin. Two East German border guards opened fire. He was fatally wounded in the head and sank.
Erected
this page online
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, Cold. In addition, it is included in the Berlin Wall series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1945.
Location. 52° 31.057′ N, 13° 22.607′ E. Memorial is in Berlin, in Mitte. It is in Regierungsvierte. It is at the intersection of Ebertstraße and Scheidemannstraße, on the right when traveling south on Ebertstraße. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: Ebertstraße 27, Berlin 10117, Germany. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is in Europe, the European Union, Atlantic Europe, Central Europe, the Schengen Area, Western Europe, and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire and specifically also the Holy Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dieter Wohlfahrt (here, next to this marker); Chris Gueffroy (here, next to this marker); Lutz Haberlandt (here, next to this marker); Philipp Held (here, next to this marker); Ingo Krüger (here, next to this marker); Dieter Beilig (here, next to this marker); Peter Fechter (here, next to this marker); Den Toten des Volkaufstandes vom 17. Juni 1953 (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Berlin.
Also see . . . Axel Hannemann (Chronik der Mauer). Excerpt:
Axel Hannemann took a train from Cottbus to East Berlin on June 5, 1962. Upon reaching the city center he headed towards the Marschall Bridge, not far from the sector border which crosses the Spree River between Schiffbauerdamm and Reichstagsufer.(Submitted on September 29, 2025.)This is where cargo ships with authorization to pass through East Germany went through customs control before proceeding to the West Berlin environs. It was 5 p.m. when the young man jumped from the bridge onto a barge that had already passed through the customs control and was heading to the West. But the ship captain refused to take the fleeing man with him. He instead stopped the ship and notified the customs and border guards. Axel Hannemann got into a scuffle with the captain but was able to free himself. He jumped into the river and tried to swim to the West Berlin riverbank when two border policemen fired at him from close range. Just meters away from his goal, he was fatally hit and sank beneath the water’s surface. According to the autopsy report, he died from a bullet through his skull. It could not be determined with certainty how many bullets had hit him and how many had entered and exited his body.Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, September 3, 20252. Axel Hannemann white cross - wide viewThe white cross for Axel Hannemann is the fourth from the right. These plus an additional eight crosses on the Reichstag-side of the Spree River comprise the Weisse Kreuze (“White Crosses”) memorial, erected to commemorate those killed while trying to escape into West Berlin during the Cold War. White crosses were originally installed (as early as 1971) at the point nearest where the victims were killed, but over time their location was consolidated (albeit relocated one or more times, depending on the cross). The 2021 date given here for this memorial is the year given by a nearby sign for their “renewal”.
Two hours later East Berlin firemen pulled his dead body from the water. These events took place right behind the Reichstag building, which was situated on West Berlin territory. West Berlin police and members of the press soon arrived at the scene and photographed the body as it was retrieved and taken away. The next day West Berlin newspapers ran headlines such as „Murder of Fugitive at the Reichstag" and „Fugitive Shot and Killed in the Spree."
Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 60 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 29, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
