Jutta Fleck

Jutta Fleck (born 1946) is an attempted escapee and former political prisoner of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. She is known as "The Woman from Checkpoint Charlie". Following a failed attempt to escape from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) with her daughters in August 1982, she was imprisoned in Hoheneck Women's Prison and, after being deported to West Germany, spent four years protesting for her daughters' release from East Germany.

Biography Jutta Fleck was born in Dresden in 1946. She was known as Jutta Gallus by her first marriage. She worked as a computer scientist. After divorcing her husband, she had sole custody of her daughters, Claudia and Beate Gallus. Following her mother's death, Fleck became dissatisfied with the restrictions of living in East Germany and decided to flee with her two daughters.

Attempted escape and imprisonment In August 1982, Jutta Fleck attempted to escape from East Germany with her two daughters and the help of a smuggler. Using West German passports, they planned to make their escape route from the Romanian town of Severin across the Danube to Yugoslavia, and then continue to Bad Oeynhausen. This plan was thwarted when Fleck's money and documents were stolen. On 25 August, Fleck attempted to emigrate using a passport issued by the Bucharest Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Romanian official who was responsible for issuing the exit visa had become suspicious. The Securitate, the Romanian secret police, arrested them and interrogated them at the airport. Prior to her deportation to the Federal Republic of Germany, she was transferred with other prisoners in a camouflaged truck to Karl-Marx-Stadt on 17 February 1984 where she was held in detention.

Separation Fleck spent six years separated from her two daughters. Her children were initially sent to a children's home near Dresden where their movement was restricted. The two girls were separated from each other and identified by a number rather than by their names. After a few months, their uncle was able to visit them. Their father was given custody of his daughters. He was a staunch supporter of the GDR and told them that Fleck was an enemy of the state. Beate Gallus stated that they were not allowed to make contact. Fleck and her daughter Beate Gallus gave lectures at various locations, such as at the Bad Liebenzell Civic Center on 12 October 2019, to recount their experiences of life in the GDR.

Related media In 2006 a two-part television film titled Die Frau Vom Checkpoint Charlie was released, which was based on Jutta Fleck's life. The film was directed by Miguel Alexandre and starred Veronica Ferres.