Because it is short and sweet, the tunnels escapes under the berlin wall and the historic films the jfk white house tried to kill. Of course the subtitle makes sense, but we will talk about this later. The culture and critical theory he devoted himself as the editor of the internets leading compendium. On twitter, online quarterly has gained eight and audience with over 100,000. And i think i checked yesterday it is now 139,000 if i may suggest that. Its more than 125 countries. It also appears in print form with its trademarks on the opinion page in germany and the netherlands. Check out his stuff. Its really good and you might get addicted. The manifesto was published last fall in the u. S. And is also on sale tonight. Please join me to walk america. [applause]. There are so many microphones up here. So to speak about the current election, and thanks for coming in is an honor with my fellow twin your face and asa start a serious talk with a joke and i will do that but a couple of them are in the of book because they be field of mindset of the early 1960s one of them was did you know, what adam and eve were east germans . No clothes and had to share an apple with the right to believe they lived in a paradise. [laughter] cold war humor. The second joke from 1962 after years of rationing even monday could afford to buy apples they found worms in them the grocers would charge more for those that were not. So i will talk about how the book came about with the cliff notes and the content of the of book my daughter just got her ph. D. In london client negative i had never been to berlin so we would rush over there we saw the main sites than the very last day happen to be sunny and warm and be had trouble being exposed to the wall and where was so resaw 1 mile from the hotel we could walk to one of the main sites where the of wall ran along that with many spectacular incidence. So we walked up there and were totally overwhelmed by the memorial sites that were there much greater than reword led to believe i have ever been so moved so naturally i came back determined to write about what was most shocking that we knew so little about escapes at the wall and nothing at all about the tunnels but the concept to tunnel under the wall. So i got back to the states annual would be a tough sell to be purely about berlin more than 50 years ago so i started to look and will lend you hold with the american and call that two leading tb Television Networks and at jfk and be administration attempted to kill the two films. As the media writer for decades so with that especially strong american in a gully could submit a proposal that would narrow this down only to the tunnels of 1962 with a special focus of Us Tv Networks and the canadian administration. Also now major movie that is being directed. So i guess i struck a nerve but maybe some of you could appreciate in one form one or another. So ever since then there have bed and documents from the Kennedy Library and declassified documents from the state department that showed better involvement in the suppression and most of the key participants were still alive and willing to talk so i could track down and interview of most of the key participants of this story. That underscores the of party this of the german people. I dont know. So that is the background of how the book have been so now igo to the cliffs notes and august of 1961 beginning almost immediately many people were shot and killed trying to escape so other methods were needed so they had the most desperate message of all that was digging tunnels under the wall. So what is the of most remarkable thing is word of the tunnel started in the west going to the east not like the other case that if they were an imprisonment digging their way to freedom it is people that were already in freedom some coming from the east already and for taking back to bring all friends and lovers and family members and strangers. Not only the law but the death strip which was the guard towers and then into the basement of the tenements. If you think of all the things that could go wrong of the secret police to drop grenades and arresting people when they would come up but they would continue to do this. If you saw saw shawshank redemption. But both cbs and nbc ran a race to be the first to film the tunnels and operation nbc got there first to locate the tunnel over 400 for long and that began a controversial thing. Because they funded thousands of dollars into the builders to help for supplies to get the tunnel done. So they were not passive there were buying their rights to the film but they knew the right the money was helping to subsidize the tunnel they were moving toward the big escape but then as the npr commentator he made the nixon enemies list and later shows he made kennedys enemies list and lost his job at cbs and ended up that npr bet that was then to another tunnel to scoop nbc bed eventually the state Department Found out and the book shows thanks to declassify documents stepbystep as the cables are going back and forth between berlin and washington and the secretary of state that was intimately involved to get approval from the white house and to pressure cbs to call at midnight to kill us story on the eve of the escape. There is much more in the book of course,. He never got over the rest of his life but the tunnel was successful. Twentynine people got out they film did the government did not know anything about until they announced a 90 minute primetime special then they tried to kill this show and again we have a lot of backandforth with cables how they went about that and they finally did it was postponed seemingly killed the producer later became president of nbc news ended up writing is resignation than six weeks later nbc selected on the air without fanfare it drew a very big audience and a few months later it won three emmys still the only documentary to win the emmy program of the year now landmarking in Television History and this is what they tried to stop. Maybe the most ironic the government after it was a sensation recognized it was good propaganda against the soviets said they bought hundreds of copies to distribute around the world. I dont want to take much time to talk about exactly why of kennedy wanted to kill the shows andros fairly negative of escapes of any kind at the wall but we will get to that but i want to close this segment with Technology Works to show the first couple of minutes of the nbc fell just to give you an idea what was going on. I guess they will try to kill a lights so cspan can get a good look at it. Here we go. I hope. This error december 1962. Contact is number seven. Ted tenement one city block communist east berlin. On friday september 14, 196226 people walked down this street and through the door. Some had come to hundred miles some more strangers to the place. They came here past the barriers of the forbidden zone and passed to the armed peoples policeman at post and across the vacant lot they could see the berlin wall. They went quietly down the cellar stairs and stood 15 feet below the surface there was a tunnel their 3 feet wide and 3 feet high. Through this they crawled 21 adults and five children 140 yards to west berlin and a free future progress some of the children had to be carried. I am nbc news berlin and this is the story of those people and that tunnel. A few leaders ago one of the key characters of my book one of the tellers to came up from the tunnel and brought people over including his future wife saw they were in renovating and would be throwing down the number seven that was made famous in the clip so he climbed up and cut that off and took it home so now is hanging today so he and his wife have a rather special reminder that assembles a lot for all of us. Thanks for listening so now i will sit down and eric will join me. [applause] we will also be taking questions in a few minutes. It is an honor to be here thanks for having me. My main profession is writing jokes on the internet. Not exactly a historian or qualified to ask the most difficult questions of the historical narrative presented here but some of you may know with the cold war with the recent trade is between coffee and culture a conflict to expensive to be fought but too cheap for a roman numeral. I dont even know what that means exactly except to say that for me approaching this book what made it interesting is somebody whod grew up with them the cold war but not necessarily cognizant of any member of the features or the first and experience of many of the offense recounted here. But of course, we recognize someone my age with the process to make these Iconic Images or specially that image that i think probably one of the things that is a mining in lightning is what has been handed down to us about the kennedys to reinforce that this is the american president with a great connections could do star by painting that picture a little bit . How can the defense into this picture kennedy fits into the pitcher. In it even before the wall went up he is committed christian of palladium and he was on the defensive but the same time that summer as they would flee to the west there was always a large number but to backtrack all the way people who probably think berlin was right in the middle of the dividing line hit and then it was surrounded by east germany. So people flee to west berlin was an incredible number of people who fit and they built almost overnight. They were smart enough to see this coming him coming but uh documents did not show that it was that big so privately over the years we found out that kennedy said it is not so bad this soviets have to do something but the key thing was to say in the wall is better than a war with the main concern there is a conflict they could have taken west berlin at any time they had superior forces or even to go after west germany. Misses a Nuclear Threat in the Nuclear Danger possible world war iii. I think a lot of people will read it off to say that kennedy underreacted and did not push back and he did not help the people that tried to organize a escape some people thought he was wrong and overreacted but of what of other people say the threat was so real to have a confrontation at the border even the with does not sound good we are all still here. I think it makes the book more interesting because it is not of black or white portrait of the time sort of kennedy. But what makes it so interesting is you are constantly reminded essentially the of politics the way the larger political stakes with the background of nuclear war is in great detail within the Kennedy White house at this time so the questions of Tactical Nuclear weapons. Tell about the other side about the individuals doing the digging it is a matter of life and death have a great passion but it is theyre doing with a great mess. What is their motivation greg. One thing i have to say is that so many were still alive there were almost all young people at the time of 19 or 24 so of course, they had the deal is some or the ideological some were simply separated from their families wives or children so they were deeply motivated. The wall went up 60,000 people commuted every day so the city was connected some people ran across. Was divided but not so yet people going to the west everyday a lot of people were staying which was the big crisis in the east so of travelers were motivated to get the people out and a few of them which tried to make a buck out of it that was very controversial later but it would be wrong to suggest that very many word and that status. But primarily the fact you talk about reuniting families was one of the key motivations mentioning the east German Security service tried to give a report on motivations and that was listed perhaps as the top motivation bet also looking for a better life clearly making more money but with a black and white picture that there are those who planned to take a trip through the tunnel with great danger and many reconsidered natalie because of the danger but it nate m. I. T. Orders to succeed in west berlin and maybe becoming aware of your ideological blindness. But the students the intellectuals and professionals generally found a better life than of west economically and with freedoms. The bluecollar types found the jobs were scarce without the same safety net that they had in the east so they said i am not making it here i dont have freedom but it is more important to have security but they had the day todays security but they gave up a lot for that. So that is the breakdown around the classs. Note in doing the research it is impressive as of reader just how Much Research but to speak to a number of people and when they recounted this, was there any sense of what it was like making it to the west and if there was a moment of disappointment quite. It was split with different people there were many common things alive the of the couples came through with Young Children when they got to the west if found their marriages falling apart and day reunited with the incredible escape but then i got back to the day to day normal life in the west and that changed so large number split up or got divorced. Talking to these people today they say i did it and ironclad it was incredible so i didnt run into that too much. And the story has not been told that much. To have their pictures of over the place. In was a great crew with water to exceptions hawaiian or two exceptions. I watched though whole film today. The wall 72 men in its is online i dont want to give away the ending but one of the incredible stories is dave built the topsecret nbc tunnel somebody says somewhat to help. So they bring him and to have them checked out if you will not be viewed could help finish he wanted to bring down a wife and child he had never seen. Then he was the last person that they notified it was ready to go. Unified his wife in the film ends with him going through his wife carries the baby the tate and takes the baby. It is Great Television in addition to a human moment. Because of that special report of the documentary so why would anyone take such a great risk . Imagine how awful lot must me. With that called for a narrative or as the camera looks to the street it looks like a semblance of life. People standing in line. But then you hear this. Bends with a very unexpected scene with this conclusion of a the party celebrating pays successful crossing is also match with ambivalence. It is clear that the divisions have grown up among the people who build the tunnels but i think something that comes through in very careful research and the detail of the narrative there is a question to manage information with managing information in the Kennedy White house. That that is not what i expected. But that does not look like a lot of fun at all. Americans are having the difficulty but it is the conflict between the organizers of the tunnel paid by nbc for arranged the filming to keep that secret from many of the other travelers said they did not know about the film they brought their with their were filming and the organizers kept it from them. Actually it is an incredible scene the night of the escape the tunnel goes under a factory it is supposed to be a special meeting so they find out it is the breakthrough night zero by the way they have been filming this so a lot of the more freaked out by at and taken aback that something bad would happen with security. They did not want any money they did not set expect any they spent in on the supplies to make the time of possible but once the successful escape happened then that resurfaced where some toddlers were better but after that we can they abandoned the tunnel because of serious water leaks those who did not go through yet felt maybe they could have kept going i think that is very unlikely they thought they got their people out i missed the chance to get out mine. So over the next two months the state department would use that against nbcs so it continuously had pressure to kill the of program. That is one of these stories of the developments and technology. And you may reference them on the air this same day maybe the first time from frankfurt that is unprecedented. So i am wondering how much did you find to be media history . There are still so many issues. And another time that i remember coming at nbc and cbs were incredible with their ratings and it was a time when each of us networks would have a primetime documentary almost every week. Just like dateline or 60 minutes but these were primetime specials on social issues. They were exposing that. Had done all of it is the golden age of television but certainly of documentarys. The networks spend what they could to pay for the tunnel was not that big of a deal. Repaid the astronauts for their story. , it was not unprecedented to pay for the rights for people story so the socalled checkbook journalism was not new but this is really bad highpoint of that high exposure of the social issues and documentarys. The weather that you associate some much of his political success is his ode to television but that the same time that is becoming harder to control. He had a relationship with of media i think most people think he was of media darling and then the book goes into other incidents not directly related receive with crack down on the press and then as a bed then ending with the cuban missile crisis. We will open for questions. I have a twopart question. Why did kennedy try to impress surprise the movie . And also senator fulbright advocated building a wall . And to be the entire board democrat are unconfirmed and as a former segregationist the money three weeks before the wall to say it was not such a bad idea i think they could do it. Blah, blah, blah. But the soviets would use at as motivation to get away with it. So why do be ultimately tried to kill these . He was afraid the coverage coverage, i hit that to theres a lot of intrigue in the book with but then to stop with some of the others but why didnt they let them cover that . They did not want to encourage mass but then to sparky a confrontation since shift but they were claiming but then with western intelligence the soviets and east germans were always blaming of west to say the white house must. That is the insurers answer but as they were monitoring the press but then to question the neighbors. [laughter] but the culture that came from them that uh community was looking out. Hostage k. Protect themselves . Good question but one of the best features of the book i think is one of the best is how they operate in east germany and berlin. You mentioned the nazis say in terms of penetration of neighbors in is the incredible wealth of people and even from west berlin. Neighbors were frequently tunneled because uh neighbors found out. But i plus and but the mother greatest character of any one in my book was the great informer to informed of several tunnels began a short tunnel and if there is to show a stepbystep what he was to me and that is a good part of the book to deal with the stasi intrigue but what about putting them abbess quite. The original tellers tunnel lawyers were willing to take that risk but be other tunnelers did not know but as far as we know there was no one who suffered because of that however was very common for any escape beat if they escaped, the family left behind would suffer in one form or another. You have a lot more people trying to escape the then they knew their family would suffer. So to raise the berlin issue with kennedy with the business that we here in berlin, what do you make of the idea that kennedy did not just accept a wall but actively anchorage it encourage it. But that is pretty serious cold war problems. I am not familiar all of the argument pet to make the case said least to show that maybe as a solution. Certainly after it went up they did not do anything about it but if they would knock that down they would not build that up they accepted the division barbwire the wall made a big difference. I heard the majority of the Young People Working on the tunnels were involved with the sciences and the engineering. Is there anything to that story is. I would say most of the key people at least a the nbc tunnel word engineering students that played of very key role others were built by a blue caller people and was of World Champion and there were a good number of engineers. One hupeh achy role want to build tunnels all over the world what to build all over the english channel. With carteret artist and rioters . With that culture with the nogoodniks bohemians of course they needed the engineers to help build and berlin was a hotbed. Those that could flee did they stay . I did not check all of them but it was incredible almost all of the people and tell i found out but they were alive within 10 or 30 miles of berlin. So with those escapees horror tunnel debtors were all in the vicinity of berlin i cannot think of more than one or two who went away. At the beginning you said people came away from this far as to hundred miles so how did they get the word out to people that far away to get them to come on time quick. Good questions i show in to retrieve the people who were alerted are we still going to the opera . Your tickets are ready to be picked up at 3 00 p. M. Sometimes there were couriers. Tunnelers send a brave couriers in to berlin to find people could then a few rare hours and and then alert them also that is all whole love will of couriers so in the documentary what was the of politics or ideology or wages trying to produce a spectacle could you get a sense seven of political ideology . I notified could say what their politics word if they were socially conscious documentarys to expose democrats or anything like at i am not scheerer except this was uh kennedy era and out to address those social ills in those with the Civilrights Movement so to tell me what the politics are i cannot tell you if they were right to clean or left wing i cannot really answer that question. But the kennedy demonstration obviously a culminating like the nixon enemies list but there was that attempt to categorize. Of course, we although the stories how the press looks the of their way but beyond that with the editor of the newsweek or the Washington Post and he listed some of the people from the inaugural address and the cbs news manager called and canceled his program. And he was partying is in las vegas with him and frank sinatra. But it was like ride your nails back then. So maybe somebody more liberal. People want to continue to ask questions the choice of music and the documentary could you talk about that . With up point to view it is curious. And the second question. Maybe this is something you could comment on and the rights word sold but not germany. There has then a couple of books and there is the argument but as i was recommending to write a new prologue with the london review of books concentrating on the reception to her book and this was 15 years ago but not reopened the wound so to be a better judge of that. Rubin frank was uh producer he hired a guy who was a composer and jazz musician so that works. Because of what managed to flame what happened to them with the antifascist protection law by east germans said they were protecting themselves from the fascist. Actually is that word in the book. It seems that some of them suffered but mostly i interviewed the tunnelers some couriers but i know from history if anybody tried to escape to talk all night about the most famous shooting had the wall was a 18 yearold youth who attempted to flee and shot both americans and east germans let him bleed to death paralyzed not helping him causing an International Sensation and today he is the martyr of the cold or perched. Of the cold war. And it is one of the most incredible stories. When they finally had his funeral the stasi showed up and the journalist and afterwards they took the flowers away and for years they badgered his family that were left behind. They lost jobs and opportunities. And it shows how far they would go to do that. Hot. In addition the hotel the first inkling was in the middle of the night to Say Something is up in the u. S. Networks. But if they are very deep with no connection . Was the cia in the middle . I with so concentrated on of the cia in berlin. I value word going to bail me out. [laughter]. From their starting point to their expected destination. Its in the book. I cant remember what its called from the university lab. I didnt fully understand. They knew where they started because they came down and like i said this basement and factory they could see where they were headed and they just kept taking measurements as they went along and whatever tools are they did that and then they would have to do things like there is a huge boulder we have to dig around. When they go under what they thought was their target they thought surely we are off. They already put out the word that people were supposed to come here so they had to go that day. The gentleman actually climbed up when they broke through the tunnel they had to go up to see if they were in the right building and sure enough, they were and how the calculations were. But yes, they knew what they were doing but its remarkable how accurate they were. I heard there was a seat great deal the following year in relation to the cuban missile crisis which was a year later. You take the missiles out of cuba and we will let you keep the wall, anything to that . No, but one of the eye openers for me because i had read all the transcripts in the meetings leading up to the cuban missile crisis. As remarkable he was obsessed with berlin and he was his own secretary of state obsessed with berlin and repeatedly brings up we dont think its cuba, he is going thesgoing to do somethinh berlin. Are we willing to do this with berlin and you could make the argument that it was as much about berlin as it was about cuba. But the deal he made didnt come out for quite a while. The soapy gets back down but actually we privately got summit to agree down the road. Thanks for the great questions. Thank you, everyone, for the amazing information. [applause] we are very impressed as always. Thank you for making this happen. 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