What is Die Frau vom Checkpoint Charlie?
{{italictitle}} '''''Die Frau vom Checkpoint Charlie''''' (English: '''The Woman of Checkpoint Charlie''') is a [[movie]] in two parts about a woman who manages to escape to the west from the [[German Democratic Republic]] (East Germany), but is separated from her children. She spent six years trying to get the East German government to allow her daughters to join her in the [[Federal Republic of Germany]] (West Germany). It is based on a true story. It was first shown on French-German [[television]] channel [[ARTE]] on 28 September 2007. The woman’s name was Jutta Fleck. In the movie she is called Sara Bender. She is played by the actress [[Veronica Ferres]]. Her children were called Claudia and Beate. In the movie they are called Silvia and Sabine (or “Bine” – pronounce “BEE-ne” - for short). == The story == === Part 1 === In 1982 Sara Bender is living with her two daughters Silvia (11) und Sabine (9) in [[Erfurt]] in the [[GDR]] (East Germany). Their mother said some things that [[criticize]]d the [[government]] of their country. In a [[communist]] country like the GDR it was a bad thing to be critical of the government. Because of what their mother said, her children were treated badly at school. Sara wants to marry Peter Koch, whom she knows at work. A [[wedding]] is arranged. Sara’s father lives in [[Helmstedt]] in the [[West Germany]]. He travels to his daughter’s wedding, but on the way he has an [[accident]] on the [[motorway]] and is seriously injured. The wedding is postponed. Sara wants to visit her father in hospital in West Germany, but the government of the GDR do not allow her to go because of the critical things she had said. Her father dies. Sara still keeps asking for permission to leave her country, but she is not allowed, and things are made difficult for her at work. She tries to escape from the GDR with her two daughters. They manage to get to [[Romania]], and they want to go to [[Yugoslavia]], but they are caught by the East German secret police ([[Stasi]]). The Sta