Main content

Walking the Iron Curtain: Wild lands reunited

Seventy years ago Communist East Germany sealed its border with the capitalist West. Mary-Ann Ochota travels the former death-zone, now transformed into a wildlife haven.

In May 1952 East Germany sealed its entire border with the capitalist west. Over the next 37 years 75,000 people would be arrested trying to flee the Communist East and hundreds would die in the attempt. Today the barbed wire and machine guns are gone and the old border has been transformed into a protected wildlife zone. It's a home to lynx, wolf and wildcat and a vital corridor for migrating birds and mammals. Mary-Ann Ochota begins her journey along the old border, meeting the people doing their bit to turn a birdwatcher's fantasy into the world's longest nature reserve.

(Photo: Mary-Ann Ochota walks the route of the Iron Curtain through central Germany)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Sun 26 Jun 2022 10:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Wed 22 Jun 2022 01:32GMT
  • Wed 22 Jun 2022 08:06GMT
  • Wed 22 Jun 2022 12:32GMT
  • Wed 22 Jun 2022 19:06GMT
  • Sun 26 Jun 2022 10:32GMT

The Documentary Podcast

The Documentary Podcast

Hear more documentaries from the 主播大秀 World Service

Podcast