Why did so many people risk trying to cross the Berlin Wall – weren’t there less risky routes?

Getting used to the newly built Berlin Wall in August 1961. Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features Photograph: Sipa Press / Rex Features

Why did so many people try to cross the heavily guarded and fortified Berlin Wall instead of the presumably less well=guarded and fortified border between East and West Germany?

Richard Parmenter, Enfield

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