Hole In The Fence – Storytelling SK-AT

A curious case involving the escape through the Iron Curtain, which took place in September 1960, shook both the commanders at the border unit in Devín and the officers at the Headquarters of the 11th Brigade in Bratislava. On 17 September 1960, a young man called Jozef P. visited the barracks of the border unit in Devín. He came to the site where he had previously completed his military service in 1956. The unit’s commander, as well as the deputy commander, both welcomed their former soldier and engaged with him in a cordial discussion about serving in military and living a civilian life. Later that night, on 17-18 September 1960, after bidding farewell to the commander, Jozef P. was passing through Devín village. Being familiar with the technical measures and wire barriers from the time he was serving there, he passed under the road connecting Devín with Devínská Nová Ves and by crawling slowly he reached the bank of the Morava River. He successfully swam across it and shouted back from the Austrian side at the nearest border patrol near the Devín Castle:“Say hello to Lieutenant Randúch. You have a hole in the fence.” He then disappeared inland into Austria. The “hole in the fence” was discovered immediately after raising the alarm, along with a paper note with a message for the border patrol:“Jozef P. was here, 2-3.”