Priority of Buildings signals what matters to a Nation - Germany

Curiously, I got a new book on the Stasi recently, and I've found several references so far to the last DDR government not being quite as interested in swift unification as you might think. There's numerous references to De Maizière's government trying to destroy files, and what was exceptionally interesting for me to learn was that the DDR agents (ex-Stasi) active in West Germany were only recalled to the DDR at the end of May 1990, while the East German Army agents were recalled a week earlier.

nytimes.com/1990/08/12/magazine/where-have-all-his-spies-gone.html - this is a fascinating article on the subject. It's truly amazing that the spying by East Germany continued under the new CDU government in East Germany.

One of the reasons, among many, that the film "The Lives of Others" (Das Leben der Anderen) resonated as it did with the German film going public! Such a powerful, lingering movie.

Well, no government is too keen on abolishing itself, but at this point it was completely irrelevant what sone actors within the East German government wanted they had no choice in the matter. The poeple had clearly stated their demand for quick reunification, and no other country was willing to help the GDR.


Interesting, but not really surprising. It can be hard for democratic governments to keep control of their spy agencies, and the Stasi was a state within a state.

Romania's regime under Ceauscescu sure was. It was imploding nearly as soon as he entered office, only he didn't know it:-) By the time it was abolished, the end seemed almost anti-climactic!