Tough decisions had to be made as the future became more and more uncertain. Even the annual class trip required students living in the East to travel separately.

On the way back from their class trip, the students already have the feeling that their lives will never be the same again.

As the first incarnation of the Berlin Wall went up, the students and their families scrambled to make quick decisions.

After the border had officially been closed, the students were separated and often didn't know if their friends on the other side were OK. Luckily, a few letters got through.

The restrictions placed on residents of both West and East Berlin intensifies to the point where the classmates aren't even actually allowed to have contact.

Rüdiger and Bärbel attempt to escape into West Berlin, but it doesn't go according to plan.

While their classmates in the West graduate, Rüdiger and Christian come to terms with their life in the East Berlin.

Rüdiger finds himself in prison, subject to interrogation, and separated from his sister.

While Rüdiger and Bärbel face the consequences of their actions, the other former classmates move on in more positive ways.

Christian considers a dangerous escape plan.

Christian escapes by swimming across the border, but leaves Heidi behind. Rüdiger is suddenly presented with a new option.

In the conclusion of the film, find out whether Rüdiger leaves West Germany, and what each person in the group is doing today.

"Johnnie Head-In-the-Air" is one of the famous stories from the children’s book Der Struwwelpeter, written by Frankfurt doctor Heinrich Hoffmann in 1845.

"The Story of the Flying Robert" is another one from Heinrich Hoffmann's famous children's book Der Struwwelpeter, published in 1845.

Der Struwwelpeter, known famously in English as Shockheaded Peter, is a brutal set of stories from the 19th century intended to terrify children into behaving.

In 1891, Mark Twain wrote Slovenly Peter, his own translation of the book.

This video selection, made in the 1950s, adds a fantastic, surreal element to what is already a bizarre selection of tales. Copyright: RheinMainTV.