In 1992, the files of East Germany's infamous Ministry for State Security, the Stasi, were made publicly available and thousands of former East Germans began to confront their contents. Finally, it was possible for ordinary citizens to ascertain who had worked for the Stasi, either on a full-time basis or as an 'unofficial employee' or informer. The revelations from these 178 km of documents sparked feuds old and new among a population already struggling through massive social and political upheaval. Drawing upon the Stasi files and upon interviews with one-time informers, this book examines...

In 1992 the massive files of East Germany's infamous Ministry for State Security, the Stasi, were made publicly available and thousands of former East Germans began to confront their contents. Finally it was possible for ordinary citizens to ascertain who had worked for the Stasi, either on a full-time basis or as an "unofficial employee," the Stasi's term for an informer. The revelations from these documents sparked feuds old and new among a population already struggling through enormous social and political upheaval. Drawing upon the Stasi files and upon interviews with one-time informers,...