What does “Schlupflöcher” mean in German?

As the Berlin Wall goes up overnight, the narrator says East Berliners are desperately searching for any last gap into freedom — “Verzweifelt suchen Ostberliner noch nach letzten Schlupflöchern in die Freiheit.” A Schlupfloch is a small hole or opening you can squeeze through. Here it means a way out the new barrier hasn’t closed yet. The word stays useful today for any loophole or gap left open, often one people use to get around a rule.

Spoken line: “Verzweifelt suchen Ostberliner noch nach letzten Schlupflöchern in die Freiheit” — “Desperately, East Berliners still search for last gaps to slip through into freedom.” Schlupfloch comes from “schlüpfen” (to slip) plus “Loch” (hole). Plain examples: “Er fand ein Schlupfloch im Vertrag” (he found a loophole in the contract); “Die Katze schlüpft durch ein kleines Schlupfloch” (the cat slips through a small gap); “Es gibt keine Schlupflöcher mehr” (there are no gaps left). Often used for a loophole in a rule or law, sometimes for a real physical gap.