The scariest thing I’ve ever known is the human mind.

The human mind controls the body. It determines what we do, how we do something, and when we do it. It can make someone successful in life. It can help someone do amazing things. It can cause brilliant ideas to save the world or do something nice. It can lead to people thinking of something sentimental for a loved one, even if it’s small and meaningless to most people.

The mind controls the body. It chooses what we do, how we do something, and when we do it. It can make someone believe in something that is not right. It can lead to one being racist or sexist. It can help someone think of a way to control people. It can cause people to believe in a perfect world under their standards. It can corrupt a once innocent mind.

But twenty years ago, it became even more terrifying. It became even more frightening when people were being killed because of their religious beliefs. It was appalling to hear about people being sent to do labor for the rest of their life because they looked different that the ‘perfect race’ of humans.

It became less and less terrifying when the war passed. I thought that the world would stay like that: the world has finally found a way to co-exist without attempting to kill everyone they see from a different nation.
That’s what I thought.

Things suddenly became daunting when I couldn’t go back to my own home, the place I had grown up. I could not go home because one person acted upon the evil and vile thoughts that filled their villainous mind.
I never expected to be stuck in Germany in 1961. I always thought that after the war, the world would go back to how it was before the long and deadly battle across the globe. I never expected that I wouldn’t be allowed to leave the country that I had grown to hate for several more years.

The only reason I was in Germany was because of family. I didn’t have a choice; I had to leave my comfortable home so that I could see my grandparents. And while I loved them dearly, I didn’t want to go to the place where he lived. Even if it ended fifteen years before, I didn’t want to go to Germany.

It was sudden when the wall went up. It showed up before dawn approached on August 3, 1961. I heard noises throughout the night, which kept penetrating my deep sleep. I was exhausted, and knew that when I got back to my home, my time schedule would be flipped upside down. All I wanted was for nothing to wake me up until I got all of my energy back.

The blankets were warm against my skin, and the mattress seemed to be calling me, as if it was my home. I inhaled deeply before exhaling, enjoying the scent of the room I was in. Despite missing my home, I enjoyed my grandparent’s small apartment.

When I finally woke up on August 3, I realized that there was a large amount of commotion going on outside. I reluctantly stood and looked out of the bedroom window. A gasp escaped my lips as I saw the barbed wire fence and people screaming, wanting to see their friends and family on the other side of the fence.

Sunday, August 3, 1961. The same day I was meant to go back to America. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t go back. At that moment, I became a citizen of East Germany.

All because of the human mind.