Workers’ uprising in Berlin

As a teenager, Lothar Szielasko did an apprenticeship at the Funkwerk Köpenick. On June 17, 1953, he arrived at his workplace and realized that all operation had been brought to a standstill. The workers in the GDR had started a strike. Lothar Szielasko refused to follow the instructions of his supervisor and went home – initially as the only one in his class. Later that day he returned to his workplace, where he met the other trainees that were finally allowed to go home as well. Lothar Szielasko became involuntarily embroiled in the demonstration of the workers. He was threatened by an armed soldier of the Russian army that had been ordered to break the strike. However, he was lucky and emerged unharmed from the dangerous situation. Thus he was able to return to work in the Funkwerk Köpenick the next day.