Stasi (Ministry for State Security, East Germany)

The Stasi, officially the Ministry for State Security, was East Germany's secret police from 1950 to 1990. Its main role was to monitor, spy on, and suppress political opposition and dissent, ensuring the regime's control. The Stasi employed a vast network of spies, informants, and surveillance methods to gather intelligence on citizens, often invading personal privacy. It operated with tight secrecy and widespread fear, making it one of the most effective and pervasive intelligence agencies of its time. The fall of East Germany in 1989 led to the dissolution of the Stasi, exposing its extensive surveillance and repression.