On Wings of Words

It's 1979 and Peter lives on the east side of Germany, the side that isn't free. He watches news programmes rather than cartoons, and wears scratchy uniforms instead of blue jeans. His family endures long lines and early curfews. But Peter knows it won't always be this way. Peter and his family have a secret. Late at night, in their attic, they are piecing together a hot-air balloon-and a plan. Can Peter and his family fly their way to freedom? This is the true story of one child, Peter Wetzel, and his family, who risked their lives seeking freedom in a daring escape from East Germany via a handmade hot-air balloon.