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Stasi: The Untold Story of the East German Secret Police Paperback – 27 Jul 2000

by Koehler (Author)

32 customer reviews

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In this gripping narrative, John Koehler details the widespread activities of East Germany's Ministry for State Security, or Stasi." The Stasi, which infiltrated every walk of East German life, suppressed political opposition, and caused the imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of citizens, proved to be one of the most powerful secret police and espionage services in the world. Koehler methodically reviews the Stasi's activities within East Germany and overseas, including its programs for internal repression, international espionage, terrorism and terrorist training, art theft, and special operations in Latin America and Africa.Koehler was both Berlin bureau chief of the Associated Press during the height of the Cold War and a U.S. Army Intelligence officer. His insider's account is based on primary sources, such as U.S. intelligence files, Stasi documents made available only to the author, and extensive interviews with victims of political oppression, former Stasi officers, and West German government officials. Drawing from these sources, Koehler recounts tales that rival the most outlandish Hollywood spy thriller and, at the same time, offers the definitive contribution to our understanding of this still largely unwritten aspect of the history of the Cold War and modern Germany.

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Product details

Paperback: 478 pages
Publisher: Basic Books; New Ed edition (27 July 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0813337445
ISBN-13: 978-0813337449
Product Dimensions: 15.6 x 2.9 x 23.2 cm
Average Customer Review: 32 customer reviews
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 263,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #282 in Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Government & Politics > Countries & Regions > Europe
- #303 in Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Government & Politics > Political Science & Ideology > Communism & Marxism
- #397 in Books > History > Military History > Military Intelligence & Espionage

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Synopsis

In this gripping narrative, John Koehler details the widespread activities of East Germanys Ministry for State Security, or Stasi. The Stasi, which infiltrated every walk of East German life, suppressed political opposition, and caused the imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of citizens, proved to be one of the most powerful secret police and espionage services in the world. Koehler methodically reviews the Stasis activities within East Germany and overseas, including its programs for internal repression, international espionage, terrorism and terrorist training, art theft, and special operations in Latin America and Africa. Koehler was both Berlin bureau chief of the Associated Press during the height of the Cold War and a U. S. Army Intelligence officer. His insiders account is based on primary sources, such as U. S. intelligence files, Stasi documents made available only to the author, and extensive interviews with victims of political oppression, former Stasi officers, and West German government officials.

Drawing from these sources, Koehler recounts tales that rival the most outlandish Hollywood spy thriller and, at the same time, offers the definitive contribution to our understanding of this still largely unwritten aspect of the history of the Cold War and modern Germany.

About the Author

John O. Koehler served as foreign correspondent for the Associated Press for 28 years, including stints as chief for both the Berlin and Bonn Bureaus. He also served as Assistant to the President and Director of Communications under Ronald Reagan.

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Vashik Armenikus

Was Stasi violent or was it just more efficient than its enemies?

5 July 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

From the start author of the book clearly defines his goal, but in the end he contradicts himself. He presents his book as a record of the 'brutal and intrusive security apparatus of the East German regime', but through the pages he intentionally (or unintentionally) shows that East German security service was more efficient that its Western counterparts. This book shows that Stasi was doing its job of collecting secret information from U.S. French and Brits better than all of the listed combined. Stasi's efficiency even excelled that of its 'lords' in Moscow. Throughout the book Koehler shows only one case-study that points out to violence of STASI against its own people. That's it. It could have been better written and could be less biased, but it was still an enjoyable read.

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Rod Saar

A must read for anyone interested in the Cold War ...

2 June 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A must read for anyone interested in the Cold War and the Police State in East Germany-some may not believe some of the contents but having worked for the British Military Mission in East Germany I can assure you the nastiness of the Stasi is fact.

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9 April 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A must read for anyone interested in the Cold War and the Police State in East German. I am interested in this subject due to myself serving with the Forces in Germany.

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11 April 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Excellent read

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17 April 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A detailed history of this evil force from its inception to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Excellent.

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9 July 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Excellent read

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6 March 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

If you ever want to know how much you should trust the Russian government, read this book and make your own mind up

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Mr. E. Gilchrist

Decent narrative, lacking analysis

6 June 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Good books on the Stasi are few and far between. Scrub that, any English books on this subject are as rare as a Stasi agent with compassion. This is probably the best you're going to get to get an insight into the lives of that wretched benighted country, through a series of stories and anecdotes based on interviews and research in various archives. It starts slowly, and the chapter on Mielke is quite plodding and almost unnecessary, considering that he is only ever mentioned briefly throughout the rest of the text. But then we have some vivid description of the shady shenanigans of the Stasi: graphic details of torture nd betrayal add weight and veracity to the depiction in The Lives of Others of the jaw droppingly efficient work of the MfS.

I wanted to disagree with the negative reviews here as I'm enjoying this book. But the mood and tone of the narrative changes entirely when Koehler moves onto the effect on the Americans, the relatively apolitical early chapters melt away to be replaced by "southern drawls" and noble no-nonsense charters from the farmlands of the Midwest. I don't agree that the writer is black and white in Yanks vs commies but he clearly warms to his theme when talking about his homeland.

But, that all said, you will be amazed by the ingenuity, creativity and sheer gumption of the Stasi, as well as outraged, saddened and sickened by their barbarity and sheer demonic zeal. The writer has done his research and is to be respected for it. You will learn a lot, though make sure you reference other sources

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Most recent customer reviews

ALAN 81

Fascinating Book

Very detail and interesting book, find it almost hard to believe the things that they came up with in the Stasi. Well worth a read.

Published 1 year ago

m. dosa

informative

found this book to be packed full of information about the characters and working of the stasi including the sometimes odd relationship between the kgb and stasi very interesting...Read more

Published on 2 June 2016

Amazon Customer

One for academics

A well researched and comprehensive title but perhaps more for academics.

The insights and knowledge of the author on the GDR shine through.Read more

Published on 11 May 2016

Rolfyboy

Five Stars

What a great story!!!!

Published on 2 January 2015

John M.

I like it

Very Interesting. Difficult for me to put the book down. Keeps the mind active.

Published on 9 September 2014

J. Rutley

Futility of the STASI

Having read numerous books on the KGB and STASI and other 'Eastern Block' intelligence services operating against the West during the Cold War, it always surprises me that we are...Read more

Published on 27 July 2014

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