Sigrid Richter

Sigrid Richter was born in 1952 in Mecklenburg. She spent a pattern-like childhood and youth in the GDR. Her school years, as well as her studies, were unburdened by problems. Shortly before the completion of her studies for a teacher, she met her future husband. However, his curriculum vitae had a major flaw --he was the son of a West-German father. This fact potently complicated their life and it was only through the relationship with her husband that Richter learned the hard way that life in the GDR could be very problematic indeed. This made her grow critical of the regime. Finally, Richter decided to emigrate with her family. As she had believed that the GDR was a state of law, she applied for a permission to leave the country in 1982. However, by this act she attracted the attention of the Stasi – the East-German secret security police – to the family. A putative messenger contacted the family with the offer to arrange an illegal emigration. Although the Richter family turned his offer down, they were nonetheless incarcerated for not having reported the messenger to the police. Thus they fell into the trap that had been staged by the Stasi. Richter was put into the Hoheneck female prison - separated from her son and husband. After four and a half years, she and her husband were freed in exchange for payment by the Federal Republic of Germany. After a short time, the spouses managed to get their son to the West as well and thus the family was able to reunite.