The ubiquitous secret police of the GDR era: tragedy and sorrow of the east Germans

The GDR Ministry of State Security, better known as the Stasi, has instilled fear in the souls of East Germans for 40 years. The task of the Stasi was to preserve the ruling socialist regime of power. Using a network of spies and informers, the Stasi organized surveillance on an unprecedented scale of the inhabitants of the GDR. What methods did it use? How did the Stasi deal with the representatives of liberal ideas? What methods of psychological influence were used to drive the enemies of the state to madness? What happened to the people who challenged the regime? All these issues are covered in the article.