In 1979 Mike Walker of Chicago took his degree in history and said auf wiedersehn to an Attila the Hun manager, joined the Army at age 26 and found himself bumping into some drunks who longed for the days of Hitler, Communists, Russian soldiers, the rambunctious British and East German border guards with itchy trigger fingers. He also meets many "angels", good solid German people he met and befriended in what was then West Berlin. But he never thought he would later fall in love and marry an American visiting from Houston, Texas named Ann Smith. Nor did he figure that she would later orchestrate a dangerous ruse to grant the dying wish of her friend, Frau Eickelberger, a lady who never met her grand-daughter. The girl and her family In 1979 Mike Walker of Chicago took his degree in history and said auf wiedersehn to an Attila the Hun manager, joined the Army at age 26 and found himself bumping into some drunks who longed for the days of Hitler, Communists, Russian soldiers, the rambunctious British and East German border guards with itchy trigger fingers. He also meets many "angels", good solid German people he met and befriended in what was then West Berlin. But he never thought he would later fall in love and marry an American visiting from Houston, Texas named Ann Smith. Nor did he figure that she would later orchestrate a dangerous ruse to grant the dying wish of her friend, Frau Eickelberger, a lady who never met her grand-daughter. The girl and her family were on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall (“der mauer”) when it went up that August day in 1961, the day the girl was born. Frau Eickelberger just wants to hold her before she passes away. Ann is determined to grant this woman, her friend, that dying wish – regardless of the consequences. Ann will defy the odds by going in to East Berlin to sneak her out, a girl her age that bears a strong resemblance to her - a girl who will become Ann's new sister. were on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall (“der mauer”) when it went up that August day in 1961, the day the girl was born. Frau Eickelberger just wants to hold her before she passes away. Ann is determined to grant this woman, her friend, that dying wish – regardless of the consequences. Ann will defy the odds by going in to East Berlin to sneak her out, a girl her age that bears a strong resemblance to her - a girl who will become Ann's new sister.
