Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Landing site of the 1979 escape balloon (Wetzel and Strelzyk families)

Landing site of the 1979 escape balloon (Wetzel and Strelzyk families)

Highlight • Historical Site

Landing site of the 1979 escape balloon (Wetzel and Strelzyk families)

Hiking

4.8

(45)

Mountain biking

4.8

(42)

Cycling

5.0

(6)

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Naturpark Frankenwald

Save

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

Save

See nearby routes

Take Me There

Tips

Andrea und Huskys 🐺

June 19, 2025

Hiking

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.

Translated by

•

Rombea

August 19, 2019

Mountain biking

Landing place of Balloon on the meadow.

Translated by

•

Rombea

August 26, 2019

Mountain biking

Landing place on Finkenflug the former GDR refugees with a homemade hot air balloon.

Translated by

•

Nearby routes

Best routes near Landing site of the 1979 escape balloon (Wetzel and Strelzyk families)

Details

Informations

Elevation 650 m

Weather

Wednesday 5 August

27°C

17°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 17.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See nearby routes

Take Me There

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

Other Popular Places to Check Out

View of the Franconian Forest

Cycle Path Along the Selbitz River

Panoramaweg "Schöne Aussicht"

FlowTrail Schwarzenbach am Wald – Trailhead and Information Board

Wildgehege Pechreuth

Frankenwaldsee

Singletrail am Schäferhundeplatz Naila

Dreigrüner Wald Singletrail

View of Marxgrün and the Franconian Forest

Schuber Trail

Old Quarry Lake

Trail from Marxgrün to Hölle

Landing site of the 1979 escape balloon (Wetzel and Strelzyk families)

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️