Seduced by Secrets
Inside the Stasi's Spy-Tech World

Seduced by Secrets reveals the secret technical sources and methods of the Stasi (East German Ministry for State Security).

Kristie Macrakis (Author)

9780521887472, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 17 March 2008

392 pages
23.4 x 16.1 x 2.7 cm, 0.65 kg

'… interesting … refreshing … most useful…' Central European History

More fascinating than fiction, Seduced by Secrets takes the reader inside the real world of one of the most effective and feared spy agencies in history. The book reveals the secret technical methods and sources of the Stasi (East German Ministry for State Security) as it stole secrets from abroad and developed gadgets at home. Seduced by Secrets draws on secret files from the Stasi archives to demonstrate that the Stasi overestimated the power of secrets to solve problems and created an insular spy culture more intent on securing its power than protecting national security. It recreates the Stasi's secret world of technology through biographies of agents, defectors, and officers and by visualizing James Bond-like techniques and gadgets. In this highly original book, Kristie Macrakis adds a new dimension to our understanding of the Stasi by bringing the topic into the realm of espionage history and exiting the political domain.

Part I. High-Tech: 1. Agent Gorbachev
2. Stealing secrets
3. Hero, traitor, playboy, spy
4. The crown jewels
5. Kid and Paul
6. The computer fiasco
Part II. Spy-Tech: 7. James Bond, communist style
8. Communicating secrets
9. Secret writing revealed
10. Eye spy
11. Big ears
12. Smell science
13. Spy dust.

Subject Areas: History of engineering & technology [TBX], European history [HBJD]