Those who fled in the years shortly after the Wall was built had experienced the formerly open border first-hand and often had relatives in the West or had traveled there.
Orang-orang yang melarikan diri bertahun-tahun setelah Tembok tersebut dibangun telah mengalami perbatasan terbuka secara resmi lewat tangan pertama dan seringkali memiliki para kerabat di Barat atau lebih pergi kesana.