trof: Internet Sleuth...the final act: Update

[trof]

Last edited Thu Jun 13, 2013, 07:52 PM - Edit history (1)

My daughter is a travel agency facilitator who books overseas tours for teachers and their students.

One of her clients was taking his History of the Cold War class to Germany in June. He expressed an interest in contacting an East German border guard who was the first to let citizens of East Berlin travel freely to West Berlin in 1989.
The 'fall' of the Berlin Wall.
It's a fascinating story if you want to 'google' it.

She gave me the guard's name as 'Herald Yeager', and asked for my help.
"Dad, I'm way too busy with other clients and I know you're good at finding stuff on the web. Can you help me with this?"
"Of course."

Her client's information came from an article by NYT reporter Roger Cohen, written on the 10th anniversary of the fall.

Doing more research I learned that the guy was East German Army Lt. Col. (Ret.) Harald Jaeger.
More digging found that he is 70 now, and still alive.

I found the original article and contacted Cohen.
He kindly replied and suggested I inquire with a reporter in the NYT Berlin Bureau.
"You can use my name."
I did, and the reporter (Victor Homola) replied that he could put my daughter, or the teacher, in contact with Lt. Col. Jaeger.

Jaeger has done several interviews since that momentous day, so hopefully he will agree to meet with the professor and the class.

Just sign me 'Sherlock'.


Update: Harald Jaeger and Victor Homola (NYT Berlin Bureau) met with the teacher and his students for dinner in Berlin. It was a smashing success. And everyone involved sent me thanks and congratulations for making it happen.
I. AM. CHUFFED!


Roger Cohen's video about Jaeger:
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2009/11/02/opinion/1247465491747/the-man-who-opened-the-gate.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. How very cool, my dear trof!

....Sherlock!



I hope he'll agree to see them too....what a bit of history that would be!

[trof]

5. I'm pretty chuffed.

Maybe I'll get business cards and hang out a shingle?

trof
Internet Detective
Discrete Inquiries
No Case Too Small
Contact at 221-b_bakerstreet.com
Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.

[Moondog]

6. Maidens rescued

Revolutions plotted
Governments overthrown
Parties planned
Ask about our Mariachi special!

[trof]

7. LOL. Really. Just now.

[Moondog]

8. I was just running with the ball, ya know?

[TheMightyFavog]

11. 25 cents per day, plus expenses.

[Moondog]

12. Don't know about yours, but my expenses get pretty pricey. n/t

[TheMightyFavog]

19. *sigh* my pop culture reference went over your head...

[Moondog]

20. You're right, it did. Sorry. I think I'm

a few years too old to have caught the reference.

[eggplant]

15. Castle storming

Missing person (with six fingers) locating
Rodent(of unusual size) control
Pitcher retrieval

[Moondog]

2. Nice work.

I suspect, deep in the E German archives, there is / was a photo of a younger me, passing through Checkpoint Charlie in full dress uniform, a few years before the wall came down. I remember waving at the asshole with the camera in the tower. I would enjoy having a conversation with Lt Col Jaeger. Perhaps over a schnapps, or two.

[NBachers]

18. From the Gregory Peck / Broderick Crawford movie "Night People"

A tense, well-paced Berlin thriller. What a pleasure to see Gregory Peck at work:

[rug]

3. Outstanding!

[Ptah]

4. Well done!

[elleng]

9. That is REALLY neat, trof!!!

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. For people who like to suss things out, ain't the intertubes great?!!!!

and how rewarding, for you, and your daughter.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

13. Your daughter is blessed to have such a wonderful, kind and generous, very smart father.

[eggplant]

14. The Google-fu is strong in this one. n/t

[No Vested Interest]

16. Good Dad! nt

[SheilaT]

17. More than cool.

My older brother enlisted in the army two days after the Berlin wall went up in 1961. He was stationed in Berlin for two years, and there are frequent reunions of the "Berlin Brigade" as they call themselves.

My brother has been back to Berlin any number of times over the years, before and after the fall of the wall. If you PM me I'll give you his contact information, just in case he can give you other information to pass on to your daughter.

[In_The_Wind]

21. Good work Sherlock!

Should you ever need an assistant
[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]
In The Wind

[trof]

22. UPDATE:

An interview with Harald Jaeger:

In 1989, the man who shot this video was a resident of East Berlin and one of the first to cross the border that night. Victor Homola.
He was a translator for NYT Berlin Bureau.
Now he is a cameraman and reporter and works at the Berlin Bureau.
I am in contact with him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/world/europe/09iht-wall.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0
This is a story that tells about events leading up to that night and Victor's crossing.

What an amazing adventure this has been.
I will talk to Victor by phone on Friday.

[trof]

23. Kick for the update.