Amazing Love Stories: The forbidden lovers' daring escape
Karl-Heinz and Hedi were separated by the Iron Curtain. Could they defy the East German secret police to be together? Their future depended on a disco outfit and a fake identity.
When Karl-Heinz and Hedi fell in love they faced one major obstacle: the Iron Curtain. They met as teenagers at the height of the Cold War and were separated by a border – he was in capitalist West Germany and she was forbidden from leaving the communist East. They hatched a secret plan to be together, but it was elaborate and at times even farcical. Their mission seemed impossible – especially when the East German secret police, the notorious Stasi, were on their tail. But maybe, just maybe, they’d get lucky.
Across two weeks we’ve curated a collection of love stories from around the world. Love in all its guises; puppy love that falters and finds its feet again, longing through wars and exile, and romance that blooms in the most unexpected places. Messy, beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking. But always human, surprising and unforgettable. You'll find them all on the Outlook website in a box set called Amazing Love Stories.
Presenters: Emily Webb and Jo Fidgen
Producer: Maryam Maruf
Translation: Sandra Dobrozemsky and Felix Kronabetter
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Hedi and Karl-Heinz Stützel. Credit: NORDPOLARIS)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Fri 22 Aug 2025 11:06GMTÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service
- Fri 22 Aug 2025 17:06GMTÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Fri 22 Aug 2025 21:06GMTÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sat 23 Aug 2025 02:06GMTÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service except Australasia
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