Life of Mason Weber
Obituary of Mason Weber
Last Thursday, October 7, 1968, Mason Weber was shot by an East German guard while attempting to climb over the Berlin Wall into West Berlin. Severely hurt, he fell down onto the border strip at the base of the wall, struggling to stay alive. He had no medical assistance as he slowly bled to death for one hour.
This unfortunate story brings despair to the family and friends directly affected by the incident. They wish not to dwell in his suffering but celebrate his life instead. Mason was a strong, independent man who always stood up for his beliefs. He lacked no confidence and was not afraid of any challenge. He was an intelligent and friendly person who could always keep a conversation going. He loved Germany but hated that he had to stay in communist East Berlin while his friends lived in the thriving West Berlin. He often talked about escaping and dreamed of the day he could freely pass into West Berlin without any worries. He spoke often about what life would be like if Germany could put the past behind them and tear the wall down once and for all. He had many opinions on the decisions the government made, but he was never one to complain.
The funeral service and burial will take place on October 16, 1968.
Explanation:
While I was researching information I would constantly come across stories of individuals who died while trying to cross to the other side of the wall. The wall was heavily guarded and anyone who was caught trying to escape was immediately killed. One story that particularly caught my attention was the death notice of Peter Fetcher. Peter was an East German bricklayer who tied to climb over the wall into West Berlin, but was shot. His story touched my heart and I felt the pain his family must have gone through. I wrote this obituary on a fictional man who resembles the life of Peter. This type of shootings happened almost everyday at the wall. It would be horrible to feel trapped inside of your own country.
Sources:
I used one primary source for my obituary which was a memorial document for Peter Fetcher ("Memorial for Peter Fetcher"). This document describes how he died and what took place after his death.
Last Thursday, October 7, 1968, Mason Weber was shot by an East German guard while attempting to climb over the Berlin Wall into West Berlin. Severely hurt, he fell down onto the border strip at the base of the wall, struggling to stay alive. He had no medical assistance as he slowly bled to death for one hour.
This unfortunate story brings despair to the family and friends directly affected by the incident. They wish not to dwell in his suffering but celebrate his life instead. Mason was a strong, independent man who always stood up for his beliefs. He lacked no confidence and was not afraid of any challenge. He was an intelligent and friendly person who could always keep a conversation going. He loved Germany but hated that he had to stay in communist East Berlin while his friends lived in the thriving West Berlin. He often talked about escaping and dreamed of the day he could freely pass into West Berlin without any worries. He spoke often about what life would be like if Germany could put the past behind them and tear the wall down once and for all. He had many opinions on the decisions the government made, but he was never one to complain.
The funeral service and burial will take place on October 16, 1968.
Explanation:
While I was researching information I would constantly come across stories of individuals who died while trying to cross to the other side of the wall. The wall was heavily guarded and anyone who was caught trying to escape was immediately killed. One story that particularly caught my attention was the death notice of Peter Fetcher. Peter was an East German bricklayer who tied to climb over the wall into West Berlin, but was shot. His story touched my heart and I felt the pain his family must have gone through. I wrote this obituary on a fictional man who resembles the life of Peter. This type of shootings happened almost everyday at the wall. It would be horrible to feel trapped inside of your own country.
Sources:
I used one primary source for my obituary which was a memorial document for Peter Fetcher ("Memorial for Peter Fetcher"). This document describes how he died and what took place after his death.