Critical Thinking: Living Behind the Wall Imagine you are living in East Germany during the Cold War. You work at a local factory which makes automobiles. You spend nine hours each day attaching bumpers to the cars. You do not have the freedom to change your job. And you have not received a raise since you started working at the factory five years ago. Your family of five lives in a one bedroom apartment with no heat or air conditioning. You have barely enough money to buy the amount of food needed to keep everyone from feeling hungry. Moreover, no one you know ever has the money for new clothes.
One day, a fellow worker tells you that in West Germany the automobile workers are paid five times the amount you are. They have money to buy whatever food they like and their homes are three times the size of your apartment. This fellow worker then tells you that you can get to West Germany by going to Hungary, and then Austria.

As a person in the above situation, consider the advantages and disadvantages of escaping to West Germany. Gather information as to the risk that was involved for East Germans to escape their country before the reunification of Germany. Because you are responsible for your family’s well-being and survival, you must take them with you. Decide what you would do and how you would do it.

Draw a map that outlines your escape route from Werneuchen, East Germany, to Gyor, Hungary, through Austria, and finally to Munich, West Germany. Deliver an oral presentation about the map to your teacher that details the methods of transportation you would use to effect your escape.