The Stasi of Eastern Germany
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Between 1990 and 1996, 52,050 probes were launched into charges for murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, election fraud and perversion of justice. West Germany paid DM5 Billion (nearly US$3 Billion) to the communist regime for the release of 340,000 political prisoners. One man, Ludwig Pauli, a senior counselor in the foreign ministry of West Germany, was tricked by a “reporter” that turned out to be working for the Stasi. Extorted for sexual acts with a prostitute, Ludwig was forced to receive intensive training in cryptography, document photography, clandestine radio communications, and the use of secret dead letter drops. In more than two decades of spying, Pauli copied nearly every document of interest that came across his desk at various consulates around Europe and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Between 1950 and 1980 a total of 274,000 persons served in the Stasi. But what is the most chilling fact was the statistics of the Stasi in comparison to other secret police groups in the last century. The KGB in the Soviet Union employed about 480,000 full-time agents to oversee a nation of 280 million which means there were on agent per 5,830 citizens. The Nazi Gestapo had one officer for every 2,000 people. The ratio for the Stasi was one secret policemen for every 166 East Germans. When the regular informers are added, the ratios become much higher: In the Stasi’s case there would have been at least one spy watching every 66 citizens. When one adds the estimated numbers of part-time snoops, there would be an astounding one informer for every 6.5 citizens. To hide information and to avoid treason or espionage charges abroad, spies would use what seems like primitive James Bond types of gadgets. This includes things like a false bottom coffee container or a beer can that concealed things like exposed film or cipher pads. |