Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Stasi)

The Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Stasi) was the official secret police of East Germany (GDR) from 1950 to 1990. It functioned as a highly organized agency responsible for state security, surveillance, and political control. The Stasi monitored citizens’ activities, infiltrated groups, and collected intelligence to prevent dissent and maintain the ruling socialist regime. Its methods included extensive surveillance, informants, and technical monitoring. The Stasi played a significant role in suppressing opposition and controlling the population, leaving a lasting legacy of privacy invasion and fear within East German society.