However, this plan quickly turned to disaster: his passport having been seized by the authorities on behalf of his creditors, he and Minna had to make a dangerous and illegal crossing over the Prussian border, during which Minna suffered a miscarriage.
Men planen blev en katastrofe: Hans pas blev beslaglagt af myndighederne på vegne af kreditorerne, så han og Minna var nødt til at vove en farlig og ulovlig flugt over den preussiske grænse, hvor Minna fik en uprovokeret abort.