Stasi
Statue of workers and Stasi official in front of the former Stasi archives building, Mitte district, Berlin
The Stasi (abbreviation for the German Ministerium fÃÂür Staatssicherheit, or Ministry for State Security) was the main security and intelligence organization of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). The Stasi were headquartered in the East German capital of Berlin, with an extensive complex in Lichtenberg and several smaller complexes throughout the city. The Stasi were widely regarded as one of the most effective intelligence agencies in the world.
The Stasi was founded on February 8, 1950. Wilhelm Zaisser was its first leader, and Erich Mielke his deputy. In 1955, Mielke became head of the Stasi, and Markus Wolf became head of the foreign intelligence department. The Stasi was modelled on the Soviet KGB, which regarded the Stasi as an extremely loyal and effective partner among the intelligence services of the Warsaw Pact countries.
The Stasi's influence over almost every aspect of life in the German Democratic Republic cannot be underestimated. Until the mid-1980s, the network of spies (IMs, inofficial members) grew within the GDR itself, and in West Germany as well. By the time of the East German collapse in 1989, it was estimated that the Stasi had 91,000 full time employees, and perhaps 100,000 informants. This means that about one in a hundred East Germans was a spy - possibly the highest penetration of a society ever reached.
The Stasi monitored politically "incorrect" behaviour among all the citizens of East Germany, comparably to the former Gestapo. During the 1989 peaceful revolution, the Stasi offices were overrun by enraged citizens, but not before a huge amount of compromising material was destroyed by Stasi officers. The remaining files and material are today available for all people who were spied upon, often revealing that individuals held to be close friends or even family members, husbands, and wives were regularly filing informational reports with the Stasi.
After German unification, it was revealed that the Stasi had also secretly aided left-wing terrorist groups such as the Red Army Faction. The loss of support from the Stasi was a major factor in the dissolution of these terrorist groups.
| Table of contents |
|
2 Notable Informants 3 External links |
Notable Figures
Notable Informants
External links