Hartmut
Tautz

An eighteen-year-old student and talented clarinetist who attempted to cross the Iron Curtain in Bratislava’s Petržalka district in August 1986. His tragic story is a reminder of both the price of freedom and the cruelty of the totalitarian regime.

18 years oldhis age at the time of his tragic death

8 August 1986attempt to escape to Austria

Petržalkasite of the attack near the Iron Curtain

Discover His Story Articles and Videos Visit the Memorial

Who Was Hartmut Tautz?

A Young Musician Who Longed for Freedom

Hartmut lived in Magdeburg in the former German Democratic Republic. He loved music and dreamed of a career as a clarinetist. Because part of his family lived in the West, the regime restricted his opportunities for further artistic development.

In the summer of 1986, he decided to emigrate. He arrived in Bratislava as a young visitor and stayed at the Družba student residence. On the evening of 8 August, he set out through the border zone in Petržalka toward Austria.

He crossed the technical barriers, but only a few dozen metres from Austrian territory he was caught by Czechoslovak Border Guard service dogs. After a delayed transfer to hospital, he died from his severe injuries on 9 August 1986.

Timeline

From a Dream of Music to a Symbol of Remembrance

The key moments in Hartmut’s story and the later commemoration of his fate.

Magdeburg

The Life of a Young Clarinetist

Hartmut grew up in East Germany, loved music and wanted to pursue it professionally.

8 August 1986

Attempted Escape Through Petržalka

After crossing the barriers, he reached the immediate vicinity of the Austrian border.

9 August 1986

Tragic Death

Following the attack by service dogs and delayed medical assistance, he died in hospital from his injuries.

2016–2017

Memorial and Rehabilitation

A memorial was unveiled on the 30th anniversary, and a court later ruled that his killing had been unlawful.

Place of Remembrance

Memorial on Kopčianska Street

The memorial stands at the end of Kopčianska Street in Petržalka, near today’s Slovak-Austrian border. Nearby, there is an information board for the Hartmut Tautz Memorial geocaching game.

Location: end of Kopčianska Street, Bratislava – Petržalka

GPS: 48.10370987669687, 17.084251083014582

At the site: a memorial, an information board and the starting point of the geocaching story

Open Location on the Map

Documents and Locations

Traces of the Iron Curtain

Historical images from the investigation and the present-day location where the border ceased to divide Europe.

Today’s Border Between Slovakia and Austria

Historical Border Barriers — Historical Iron Curtain Barriers

Investigation Documentation Photographs — Documentation of the Barrier-Crossing Site

From Our Website

Articles, Videos and Commemorative Events

A selection of Bratislava Region articles dedicated to Hartmut Tautz, the Iron Curtain and the preservation of historical memory.