Stasi was concerned about the security breach and photographed the tracks left by Miguel Carmo as he crossed to the other side. Brazilian Sônia Carmo was 17 years old when she was surprised in the middle of the street in East Berlin by two agents of the Stasi, the East German secret police. She was taken to a room and subjected to a long interrogation.
The authorities wanted to know to what extent he knew about the crime that his brother, Miguel Carmo, had committed three days earlier, jumping over the Berlin Wall to join the socialist side. Sônia was released shortly after the hearing, but Miguel was not.
The Stasi was worried about what happened on November 5, 1971, when the Brazilian crossed the border between the two Germanys without being noticed. The East German Ministry of Security carried out an investigation at the location where Miguel allegedly passed, between the districts of Kreuzberg and Mitte, and included photographs of the remains and maps showing the route taken.
This is the theme of the third episode of DW’s O Pulo de Miguel podcast series, which exclusively tells the story of the Brazilian who jumped the Berlin Wall.
The “reverse” jump.
Unlike the best-known cases, in which the transition occurred from the eastern, socialist side, to the western, capitalist side, Miguel took the opposite path. Because he was considered a “subversive” by the East German government, the Brazilian was left stranded in West Berlin. He had been expelled from the socialist front because his ideas were too radical, even though he was also a communist.
Sent to the other side, unable to see his parents, his sister, his friends and his girlfriend, Miguel did his best to fulfill his wish. The entire investigation into the Brazilian’s jump and his clashes with the Stasi is contained in a 600-page dossier compiled by the East German secret police, which included photos of the traces left by Miguel Carmo during his crossing of the Iron Curtain.
Discover the series
The document, obtained exclusively by journalist Fábio Corrêa, is the starting point for DW’s new podcast series O Pulo de Miguel.
There are six episodes, one per week. The series will be part of DW Revista, DW’s weekly podcast, available on the site and major audio platforms. Episodes are released every Friday and continue until November 7.
But the story does not end – or begin – here. The journalist also undertook a trip between Brazil and Germany to meet people who knew Miguel Carmo and who help to try to understand not only the “success” of the Brazilian, but also what the world was like during the Cold War, a historical period whose signs remain alive today.
In addition to the Stasi and Germany, military dictatorship and Brazil, O Pulo de Miguel also paints a portrait of the world in turmoil in the 1960s and 1970s. Rolling Stones, Jorge Amado, Bahia and Minas Gerais are the backdrop to the series of audio reports which, essentially, is the story of a Brazilian family divided by the Cold War.
The investigative work also includes interviews, biographical accounts, historical documents and even an independent book, published by German Johanna Vogel, in 2011, in Germany, about Miguel, who she officially adopted after the Brazilian committed the clandestine crossing.
The podcast series received financial support from the Holbrooke Grant, through the German foundation IJP (Internationale Journalisten-Programme), which funds research projects with a transnational perspective.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
