1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Hey everyone, it's Eaves. Just wanted to let you know 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: that you'll be hearing an episode from me and an 3 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: episode from Tracy V. Wilson today. I hope you enjoyed 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: the show. Welcome to this Day in History Class from 5 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: how Stuff Works dot com and from the desk of 6 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: Stuff you missed in History Class. It's the show where 7 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 1: we explore the past one day at a time with 8 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: a quick look at what happened today in history. Hello 9 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: and welcome to the podcast. I'm Tracy V. Wilson and 10 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: it's September. On this day. In eighteen ten, parish priest 11 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: Miguel Hidalgo Castilla issued the Grito did Dolores, launching the 12 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: Mexican word independence. This is named for the parish of 13 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: Dolores that was Hidalgo's parish, now known as Dolores Hidalgo, 14 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: the cradle of national independence. Mexico had been Spanish territory 15 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: for hundreds of years, along with pretty much all of 16 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: the rest of Central and South America, and in the 17 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: early nineteenth century, these Spanish colonies all over that part 18 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: of the world, we're fighting for their independence. In A 19 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: big factor in these uprisings was Napoleon's occupation of Spain. 20 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: Napoleon had forced Spain's King Ferdinand the Seventh to abdicate 21 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: and had placed his brother on the Spanish throne. This 22 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: amplified ongoing discontent with Spanish rule, including opposition to very 23 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: heavy taxation and the erosion of civil rights. Fifty seven 24 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: year old Miguel Hidalgo e Castilla had been part of 25 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: a plot to resist the Spanish government in Mexico, and 26 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: that was supposed to lead to an uprising in December 27 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: of eighteen ten, but the plot was discovered. Hidalgo was 28 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: advised to flee, but instead he took his cause to 29 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: the pulpit. He had the bell ringer, summoned the people 30 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: to the courtyard before the church, and he issued a 31 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: speech that is known today as the Grito di Dolores 32 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: or El Grito the Cry of Dolores. The actual text 33 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: of it has been lost, but we know that he 34 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: called for the end of Spanish rule in Mexico, and 35 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: he was addressing as many a eight hundred people in 36 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: this call for an uprising against Spain and against the 37 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: Spanish monarchy. This was the start of a war for 38 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: independence that lasted for almost eleven years, and this whole 39 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: war for independence was somewhat controversial. In the Mexican state 40 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: of Guana Wato, which is where Dolores is located, a 41 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: Spanish owned silver mind. There was a huge source of wealth, 42 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: so a lot of people were really loyal to Spain. 43 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: Some of the early battles in this war were also gruesome. 44 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: Hidalgo's force swelled to nearly eighty thousand and made it 45 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: almost to Mexico City in November of eighteen ten, but 46 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: rather than pressing ahead to capture Mexico City, Hidago retreated 47 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: for reasons that are not clear. He was captured and 48 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 1: executed on July thirty one, eighteen eleven, and he was 49 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: then decapitated. His head was put on display at a 50 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:00,399 Speaker 1: government building in Guana Wattu. But the Mexican can War 51 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: for Independence continued on and on, and Spain finally accepted 52 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 1: Mexican independence on August eighteen twenty one with the Treaty 53 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 1: of Cordoba. Today, September sixteenth is observed as Mexican Independence Day, 54 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: and that's a tradition that dates back to eighteen twelve. 55 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: It was established while the war for independence was still 56 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: ongoing and in Dolores. Today there is a museum called 57 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: Cassa to Cure Hidalgo or Hidalgo's House, and there are 58 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: at least two other museums connected to the Mexican War 59 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: of Independence in Dolores as well. Thanks so much to 60 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: Christopher Haciotis for his research work on today's episode, an 61 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: Tatari Harrison for her audio work on this podcast. You 62 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: can subscribe to This Day in History Class on Apple Podcasts, 63 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,119 Speaker 1: Google podcast and wherever else you get your podcasts, and 64 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: you can tune in tomorrow for a step toward peace. 65 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: Hi again, while come to this Day in History class 66 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: where history waits for no one. The day was September six, 67 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy nine. Eight people escaped communists East Germany by 68 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: floating over border fences to West Germany in a homemade 69 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 1: hot air balloon. The German Federal Republic, better known as 70 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: West Germany, was created in nineteen forty nine when the 71 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: zones that were controlled by America, Britain, and France merged. 72 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: The Soviets then created East Germany, also known as the 73 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: German Democratic Republic, from their zone of occupation, though Berlin, 74 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: the former German capital, was situated within the Soviet zone, 75 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: the city was divided into West Berlin and East Berlin. 76 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: East Germany built the Berlin Wall in nineteen sixty one 77 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: to cut off the Allied occupied West Berlin from East 78 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: Berlin and surrounding East Germany. Many people attempted to escape 79 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: East Germany for West Germany, motivated by troublesome political events 80 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: in East Germany and better living conditions in West Germany. 81 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: But East Germany punished and demeaned people who tried to 82 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: flee the state. The border was hundreds of miles long 83 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: and made of metal fences with barbed wire, watched by 84 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: East German soldiers and watch towers with searchlights and sirens. 85 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: Fling was punishable with fines and imprisonment, and many people 86 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: who tried to make it over the border were killed 87 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: by land mines and guards. Still, refugees attempted to flee 88 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: using a variety of tactics. Mechanic Peter Streelzek and his 89 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: friend bricklayer Gunterbutzel were eager to leave oppressive East Germany, 90 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: so they got the idea to escape with their families 91 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: in a hot air balloon after watching a television show 92 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: on the history of ballooning. They studied how to make 93 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: a balloon and realized that to carry eight passengers plus 94 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: the weight of equipment and materials, they would need a 95 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: balloon that could hold thousand cubic feet of air. They 96 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 1: bought rolls of material and bed sheets from shops around 97 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: East Germany, and their wives stitched them together to make 98 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: the balloon. The burner was made out of propane bottles 99 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: and a stove pipe. The cast iron platform had posts 100 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 1: on the corners for hand holes and rope anchors, and 101 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: the guard rail was a clothes line. The whole time 102 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 1: they were building the balloon, they were still going to work. 103 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: Their first few tests of their balloon were unsuccessful, and 104 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: they experimented with different materials to improve the balloon's construction. 105 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: On the night of July three, ninety nine, the Strelsk 106 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: family went to a meadow about twenty five miles from 107 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: the border and attempted to make the trip to West Germany. 108 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: The vessels had backed out, afraid the plan was too risky. Unfortunately, 109 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: the balloon dropped to the ground due to water vapor 110 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: that added weight to the balloon, and the family did 111 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: not make it across the border. They abandoned the balloon 112 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: and went back home. Fearing the East German authorities would 113 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,559 Speaker 1: be on their trail soon, the Strollsics decided to build 114 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: a new, larger balloon. On September six, nineteen seventy nine, 115 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: both families went to the launch site and took a 116 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: twenty eight minute hot air balloon trip across the border 117 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: into West Germany. People who lived in Nila, the Bavarian 118 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: town near where the hot air balloon landed, offered the 119 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: families food, money, clothes, housing and jobs. The Streltics later 120 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: moved to Switzerland, then back to Germany after German reunification 121 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: in nine. The story of the balloon escape has been 122 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: told in a book and movies. I'm Eve Stepfcote and 123 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: hopefully you know a little more about history to day 124 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday. If there's something that I missed 125 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: in an episode, you can share it with everybody else 126 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at t D i h 127 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: C podcast. Thanks for joining me on this trip through history. 128 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: See you here, same place tomorrow. For more podcasts from 129 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 130 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.