Last wall trial
The week's news at a glance.
Berlin
The last trial stemming from government shootings at the Berlin Wall came to an end this week, when two former East German officials were found guilty of abetting the murders of three people trying to escape to the West. From 1961 to 1989, about 1,000 people were shot trying to sneak from communist East Berlin to democratic West Berlin. Since the wall came down in the peaceful revolution of 1989 and the two Germanys reunited, hundreds of former border guards and officials have been convicted of murder, though most have received suspended sentences. Former East German Politburo members Hans-Joachim Boehme, 74, and Siegfried Lorenz, 73, the last to be charged, were each sentenced this week to one year of probation.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Democrats: How to rebuild a damaged brand
Feature Trump's approval rating is sinking, but so is the Democratic brand
-
Unraveling autism
Feature RFK Jr. has vowed to find the root cause of the 'autism epidemic' in months. Scientists have doubts.
-
'Two dolls': Can Trump sell Americans on austerity?
Feature Trump's tariffs may be threatening holiday shelves but they've handed Democrats a 'huge gift'