In 1961, a soldier's leap over barbed wire became a symbol of freedom
A young East German guard made a split-second decision to leap over a coil of barbed wire in 1961, creating one of the most iconic images of the Cold War.
On August 15, 1961, 19-year-old Conrad Schumann was tasked with guarding the early construction of the Berlin Wall. As onlookers on the Western side shouted 'Come over!', Schumann dropped his cigarette and jumped over the barbed wire entanglement, shedding his heavy rifle as he ran.
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