Stasi

The Stasi was the secret police agency of East Germany (GDR) from 1950 to 1990, tasked with surveillance, intelligence, and suppressing dissent. It operated through an extensive network of agents, informants, and surveillance technologies, monitoring citizens' activities, communications, and associations to prevent opposition to the government. Its methods fostered an atmosphere of distrust and fear, as many people were secretly watched or reported on. The Stasi played a key role in maintaining East Germany's political order, but also became infamous for violating privacy rights and human rights, contributing to the oppressive climate that led to the regime's eventual fall.