Stasi

The East German ministry for state security, 1950 to 1990, the densest surveillance apparatus of its size

Overview

The Ministry for State Security ran domestic surveillance and foreign espionage for East Germany from 1950 to 1990, deploying informant networks at a density unmatched in the modern era. Its foreign wing, the Hauptverwaltung Aufklarung under Markus Wolf, penetrated West Germany deeply, placing Gunter Guillaume as an aide to Chancellor Willy Brandt, a scandal that forced Brandt to resign in 1974. After reunification citizens stormed the headquarters, and the preserved files became a public archive that still supports research, prosecutions, and reconciliation.