13 Polish Tourists, East German Defect
Thirteen Polish tourists defected to the West and a 19-year-old East German worker said he escaped into West Germany despite being watched by border guards, police said Monday.
The Poles, ranging in age from 16 to 71, were among 29 tourists on a weekend bus tour of Bavaria and the second Polish group of weekend tourists in as many weekends to defect.
Border police noticed that the 13 Poles were missing Sunday when the bus, returning to Poland, stopped near the Czechoslovak border in the West German town of Bayerische Eisenstein.
The East German worker told police he escaped early Friday by crossing the border near the Bavarian town of Hof despite being observed by East German border guards. He also said his 19-year-old girlfriend was with him, but later disappeared.
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