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Erich Mielke and the Origins of the Stasi | The German History Podcast: 14

Reichs & Republics: The German History Podcast

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In this episode, Katja and Chris explore the origins of the Stasi, East Germany’s notorious secret police, and the ruthless mindset of its long-serving chief, Erich Mielke. From Soviet influence and early political repression to mass surveillance and paranoia, they examine how the GDR built one of the most intrusive police states in modern history.

Takes you beyond the familiar clichés to uncover the richness and diversity of the German past.

Join us as we untangle this complex story, dispelling the popular myths and misapprehensions about a national history that still shapes the world we live in.

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Host: Katja Hoyer & Dr Christopher Dillon
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Credits:
Host: Katja Hoyer and Dr Christopher Dillon
Production: Linus Klaßen
Editing: Hunter Christensen

20 Comments

@Proskih 3 months ago

Thanks so much for these podcasts. Katja I could not get bored listening to you talk about the DDR. Big fan 😊

@brianheflin15 5 days ago

I really enjoyed this broadcast

@RudyToth-l4w 3 months ago

Thanks for the podcast! Don’t forget that in Hungary the AVO (secret police) was disbanded after the 1956 Revolution and replaced with an amnesty, “goulash communism” and the philosophy “if you’re not against us then you are with us”

@dr.phibes9308 3 months ago

Fascinating. Thank you for such incredible insight. Reading Beyond the Wall at the moment. Remember visiting the DDR Museum in Berlin 16 years ago, always struck a chord. Always promoting The Lives Of Others...can see Mielke's character in that film.

@Hongaars1969 3 months ago

Best podcast ever. I’m a relatively new subscriber and have several episodes to catch up on. Plus I’m enjoying reading your book “Beyond the wall”! Regards from Australia.

@StephenAKatz 3 months ago

Thank you both for another great lecture on German history.

@goodgrief888 3 months ago

Great show. Very interesting and informative. I didn’t know anything about the DDR, despite being a teen in the 80s, and having taken German as my language requirement. Am now filling in the gaps in my education with the help of this channel.

@andysimpson6643 3 months ago

Great, keep up the good work

@averystablegenius9472 2 months ago

I am so relieved to have found a source of intelligent, educated discussion.

@RichardMaguire110 1 month ago

Thank you for such an insightful and interesting podcast. I have long been interested in the GDR and would have liked to go there. IN 1981 I bought an MZ motorcycle, it was interesting to see how such a good machine was built with little R&D spend, it was a civilian version of a military motorcycle and pretty darned good. Back in the 80's buying GDR made things was a "cheat code" for good quality and value for money. In the 70's I liked my cute orange and yellow alarm clock from that other Germany no one named. Today I have a Praktica Camera, really rather good and made in a way that got round material shortages without compromising use and quality.

With regard to non factual speculation on how the GDR would have developed if it had existed longer my theory is that Superman would have come in from America and fixed it in a 90 minute episode turning the GDR into a satellite state oh the US.

@ramblinrog2767 2 months ago

Great episode. Thankyou for uploading.

@pbh65 3 months ago

Thank you for a very illuminating podcast about the notorious Mielke. I think Dr. Dillon is right that East Germany would have to be a vigilant state due to its proximity to the west, and the access it had to western media. The separation of families and unique history of Germany probably also made old man Mielke worry a lot

@FrederickJohnSebastian 1 month ago (edited)

Das Leben der Anderen [the Lives of Others] is one of my favorite movies which i think won the Oscar for best Foreign Film. It starred former East German actor Ulrich Mühe who died shortly after its release. It focuses on the Stasi leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

@marualdana 3 months ago

I love you channel.

@nagitarze62 3 months ago (edited)

Great podcast! Grimly fascinating insight into the Stasi thought-world. Worth noting Putin's role as KGB liaison officer with the Stasi.

@dkoe00 2 months ago

My grandfather was a member of the West Berlin criminal police, and many times when they drove through the DDR to vacation somewhere, at the checkpoint they would pull him into their office under some bogus pretense (like the photo on his ID being affixed incorrectly), where they would then try to recruit him to spy for the Stasi.

@marualdana 3 months ago

Your book is amazing

@Galenus1234 3 months ago

The East Germans' "little brother syndrome" towards the Soviet Union very much reminded me of the Austrians' attitude towards to the "Altreich Germans" after the Anschluss. Both tried (and horribile dictu managed) to "outperform" their respective bigger brother.

@joepetrisko 3 months ago

Thoroughly enjoyed your History of the Stasi. One question: To what extent, if any, did the KGB & the Stasi work together, & did the KGB ever "keep an eye on" the Stasi to ensure their efficiency &/or loyalty to Moscow? Many thanks for all your efforts.
joeinbuenosaires 😎

@hazchem9 3 months ago

I think the Mielke type is present in the population. We see the archetype becomes the norm, the stereotype, in the various regimes around the world and also over time.
I used to think that a Stasi, Gestapo, Kgb, et al, would not succeed in my own country Australia, but that was proved wrong by covid, and the unique way it brought out the worst both in officials and in the general public