In 1979, the whole world watched Naila. On the night of September 16th, two families escaped from East Germany to the West. Peter Strelzyk and Günter Wetzel had meticulously and secretly planned their escape with their families. For months, they clandestinely acquired the necessary materials. Hidden from their neighbors, they tirelessly worked on a balloon until it was functional for their escape. The balloon was 28 meters high and 20 meters wide. The square gondola had sides measuring 1.4 meters.

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SvenN

December 23, 2021

Hiking

This is where the balloon flight of 2 GDR families ended on September 16, 1979

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maria

April 23, 2024

Hiking

On September 16, 1979, the Strelzyk and Wetzel families from Pößneck flew across the inner-German border at night in a homemade hot air balloon. They landed in a field near Naila after a 28-minute flight covering 22 kilometers (as the crow flies). There were four adults and four children on board. The original balloon is on display at the Naila Museum.

Source: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naila
The story behind it: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballonflucht

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Best routes to Landing Site of the 1979 Hot Air Balloon Escape

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1. View of Naila – Small Pond Near Dreigrün loop from Naila

8.86km

02:29

180m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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2. View of Naila – View of Naila loop from Parkeisenbahn

13.9km

03:49

220m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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3. View of Naila from Spiegelwald – View of Naila loop from Naila

7.33km

02:02

140m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Distance 959 m

Uphill 10 m

Downhill 10 m

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Thursday 12 February

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Max wind speed: 16.0 km/h

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Location: Naila, Landkreis Hof, Vogtland, Saxony, Germany

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Landing Site of the 1979 Hot Air Balloon Escape

1. View of Naila – Small Pond Near Dreigrün loop from Naila

2. View of Naila – View of Naila loop from Parkeisenbahn

3. View of Naila from Spiegelwald – View of Naila loop from Naila

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