The Day Before the Berlin Wall - a Review

The Day Before the Berlin Wall is an alternate history of espionage during the Cold War. The author is T.H.E. Hill, who served with the Army Security Agency in Berlin during the mid-1970s. During that time in Berlin, there was a legend circulating that we had advance knowledge of the Berlin Wall and that the Americans could have stopped it if they were to take aggressive action against it being built.

This historical fiction book is told in first person by a character with a wry sense of humor. It opens with this person regaining consciousness in what is called a knocking shop. At first, he isn’t sure just how he ended up on the floor, but soon figures out from the blood matted on his head that he had been knocked out. He raises his head up and sees a lady who has been killed on the bed, so he figures that he might want to vacate the room unnoticed. This is not the easiest thing to do in East Berlin. Before he leaves the room, he picks up the documents that had been concealed there for him.

Once he makes it outside, he realizes he needs to read the documents. Within them he makes a discovery that turns the need to get out of East Berlin vital. At the moment, there isn’t much of a border separating East Berlin from the West. According to what he read, this was soon to change. Plans to build a wall – complete with barbed wire, watch towers, and spotlights – was soon to go up. Unless, that is, forcible resistance was met from the Americans, French, and British. He has to get across the border and inform his superiors, and he has only one day in which to do this.

The conversations between him, his conscience, and his intellect are fraught with humor. Still, concern for this young American sergeant fighting for freedom will keep you on the edge of your seat.

He manages to cross undetected into West Berlin, but even the cops there are on the lookout for him. He is said to have committed murder, and both sides of Berlin will extradite those guilty of murder on the other side. For certain reasons (you must read the book to find out what these reasons are), he must cross back into East Berlin and escape detection by the authorities there.

This book, sent to me free of charge by the publisher, has two endings - one that is historically correct and one that is pure fiction. Both endings are good, it’s just up to you how you want the story to end.

The Day Before the Berlin Wall is a work of historical fiction that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It also makes you wonder if we did have advance knowledge that the Berlin Wall was going to be built. And if we did have advance knowledge of it, why didn’t we stop its construction? Was there a young man who risked life and limb to warn the US authorities of the impending wall?

There are several German words and phrases used in this book. Don’t worry, if you don’t know German, there is a German/GI glossary provided in the front of the book. If you come across a German word that happens not to be in the glossary, go to dictionary.com. This site has a language translator that will help.

For more information about The Day Before the Berlin Wall, please visit www.voicesunderberlin.com/DayBefore.html.

For your convenience, if you wish to purchase a copy of this book, I have provided a link below for you to purchase it through Amazon.