Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit)

The Stasi, or Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, was East Germany’s secret police from 1950 to 1990. Its main role was to maintain the government’s control by monitoring, spying on, and suppressing opposition among citizens. The Stasi used extensive surveillance, informants, and psychological tactics to gather intelligence and prevent dissent. It operated with little transparency and often infringed on personal freedoms, creating a climate of fear. The organization played a key role in consolidating East Germany's socialist regime, and its activities remain a symbol of political repression and loss of privacy during the Cold War era.