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Concept
Republikflucht
Summary
Republikflucht (German for "desertion from the republic") was the colloquial term in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) for illegal emigration to West Germany, West Berlin, and non-Warsaw Pact countries; the official term was Ungesetzlicher Grenzübertritt ("unlawful border crossing"). Republikflucht applied to both the 3.5 million Germans who migrated legally from the Soviet occupation zone and East Germany before the Berlin Wall was built on 13 August 1961, and the thousands who migrated illegally across the Iron Curtain until 23 December 1989. It has been estimated that 30,000 people left the GDR per year between 1984 and 1988, and up to 300,000 per year before the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
As of June 28th, 1979, the wording of § 213 StGB was:
(1) Unlawfully crossing the border of the German Democratic Republic or violating legislation regarding temporary residence within the German Democratic Republic as well as transit through the German Democratic Republic is punished by imprisonment of up to two years or conviction on probation, imprisonment or a fine.
(2) Not returning in time, unlawfully returning to the German Democratic Republic or violating government conditions about staying abroad as a citizen of the German Democratic Republic is also punished.
(3) In severe cases, the perpetrator is punished by imprisonment of one or up to eight years. A severe case exists in particular, if:
the crime endangered life or health of humans;
the crime took place bearing weapons or under application of dangerous means or methods;
the crime was executed with increased intensity;
the crime took place by forgery of documents, false certification, abuse of documents, or by using a hideout;
the crime was executed together with others;
the perpetrator was convicted of illegal border crossing before.
(4) Preparation and attempt are punishable.
Republikflucht is a German term which translates to "desertion from the republic" or "flight from the republic" with migrants known as "Republikflüchtling(e)" ("deserter(s) from the republic").
Official source
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