New Book
He escaped from one of the world’s most brutal regimes. Then, he decided to tunnel back in. In the summer of 1962, a young student named Joachim Rudolph dug a tunnel under the Berlin Wall. Waiting on the other side in East Berlin were dozens of men, women, and children—all willing to risk everything to escape. From the award-winning creator of the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 podcast, Tunnel 29 is the true story of this most remarkable Cold War rescue mission. Drawing on interviews with the survivors and Stasi files, Helena Merriman brilliantly reveals the stranger-than-fiction story of the ingenious group of student-diggers, the glamorous red-haired messenger, the Stasi spy who threatened the whole enterprise, and the love story that became its surprising epilogue. Tunnel 29 was also the first made-for-TV event of its kind; it was funded by NBC, who wanted to film an escape in real time. Their documentary—which was nearly blocked from airing by the Kennedy administration, which wanted to control the media during the Cold War—revolutionized TV journalism. Ultimately, Tunnel 29 is a success story about freedom: the valiant citizens risking everything to win it back, and the larger world rooting for them to triumph.
About the Author:
Helena Merriman presented and produced Tunnel 29, BBC Radio 4’s podcast about a miraculous escape under the Berlin Wall. She is also the cocreator of British Podcast Award–winning series The Inquiry, and previously worked as a reporter for the BBC in the Middle East. She lives in London, UK.
Helena Merriman interview with BBC Breakfast about Tunnel 29
Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman Reviews:
“‘Tunnel 29’, by Helena Merriman, a British journalist and broadcaster, began as a popular podcast, aired by the BBC in 2019 to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the wall. Happily, the written account is no less captivating….Ms. Merriman weaves these strands together skillfully, offering enough context to explain her characters’ actions without distracting from their adventures…. Ms. Merriman’s well-crafted book does justice to the extraordinary bravery of her characters.”—The Economist
“Merriman takes us inside not only the tunnel, but also the personal lives of those who dug it. We feel we’re experiencing history as it happens. It’s a gripping story of bravery, determination, and, ultimately, love.” —Lindsey Hilsum, author of In Extremis: The Life and Death of the War Correspondent Marie Colvin
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