The Stasi (Ministry for State Security)

The Stasi, officially known as the Ministry for State Security, was East Germany's secret police from 1950 to 1990. Its primary role was to monitor, control, and suppress opposition to the communist regime. It employed extensive surveillance, informants, and psychological tactics to track citizens' activities, ensuring loyalty to the state. The Stasi's reach extended into everyday life, creating an atmosphere of mistrust. Its operations deeply affected personal privacy and freedom, making it one of the most effective and oppressive intelligence agencies of its time, until German reunification led to its dissolution.