Why Berlin is still the Spy Capital | Spy Documentary

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  • Опубліковано 20 тра 2024
  • Berlin is the scene of countless agent stories. Just before Christmas 2022, a scandal rocked the German Federal Intelligence Service @Bundesnachrichtendienst. An employee allegedly spied for Russian secret services and reported directly to Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin's network of agents is considered the strongest weapon against the West. Berlin has been already the scene of countless spy stories, real and fictional, from the Cold War to today.
    Its history as a spy-craft hotspot began after World War 2. The Allies ended Nazi rule and divided the capital into four sectors. Nowhere else did the superpowers of West and East meet as closely as in the divided city, making it a perfect place for spies. Whether they were working for the Russian KGB, the American NSA and CIA, the British MI6 or the East German "Stasi", the respective agents lived secret lives with fake identities, spying on the other side. The island of West Berlin, surrounded by the socialist East Germany, also inspired countless thrillers, be it Steven Spielberg's "Bridge of Spies", the James Bond film “Octopussy" or "The Bourne Conspiracy". Berlin is simply a must for top-class spooks!
    On this episode of Arts Unveiled, we explore the covert side of Berlin in search of espionage locations: Checkpoint Charlie, the Friedrichstraße train station, the Teufelsberg and the Glienicker Bridge. Along the way, we meet ex-agents with unbelievable stories, such as Mr. and Mrs. Schevitz. For years, the American couple lived in West Berlin as top spies for East Germany. Their highly explosive goal: to spy on the German chancellor. We learn how famous double agent George Blake sabotaged secret projects like the tunnel construction of "Operation Gold". And we show why Berlin remains a hotbed of espionage: in recent years, for example, NSA wiretapping scandals and a contract killing attributed to people with ties to the old KGB have made headlines. It seems Berlin is still a popular playing field for intelligence agencies.
    00:00 Intro
    00:57 Berlin - The Frontline of the Cold War
    03:44 Spy Stations: Journey into Darkness
    04:42 Friedrichstrasse Border Crossing
    06:35 The Stasi
    07:26 Normannenstrasse: Stasi Headquarters
    08:35 Glienicker Bridge: Agent Exchange
    10:52 Teufelsberg Listening Station
    12:26 Marienfelde Refugee Processing Center
    15:17 Berlin-Gatow Airfield: Spies in the Airspace
    17:50 Allied Museum Berlin
    20:40 Checkpoint Charlie Border Crossing Point
    22:40 What happened after the Fall of the Berlin Wall?
    23:48 German Spy Museum Berlin
    24:14 Berlin Spies Today
    For the German version: • Spionage Hotspot Berli...
    #dwhistoryandculture #berlin #jamesbond #007 #spies #agents #gdr #doubleagent #kgb #cia #coldwar #bnd #stevenspielberg #teufelsberg #checkpointcharlie #espionage #putin #berlinwall #secretservice #humphreybogart #bordercontrol #westgermany #ddr
    For more visit: www.dw.com/en/culture/s-1441
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 621

  • @bettyswallocks6411
    @bettyswallocks6411 Рік тому +1442

    Why Berlin? Because it’s the only place in the world where the USA and USSR lived next door to each other, with overlooking plots.

    • @erik_griswold
      @erik_griswold Рік тому +42

      Was also the case in Vienna for a time.

    • @bettyswallocks6411
      @bettyswallocks6411 Рік тому +21

      @@erik_griswold Vienna is where we are and Vienna is still a bit like that. The Russian “residential” compound is within walking distance of where we live.

    • @opansofian
      @opansofian Рік тому +2

      Hahahaha.....Lmfao

    • @sergeikhripun
      @sergeikhripun Рік тому

      The Soviet Union left the Eastern Europe so that the US would turn those counties into NATOstan and then blow up Nordstream to punish their servant states for dealing with Russia.

    • @tahahormozan
      @tahahormozan Рік тому +5

      Why not Vienna? it was actually the buffer zone for both blocks.

  • @Bulletguy07
    @Bulletguy07 Рік тому +649

    A relative of my neighbour employed by British Forces and stationed in Berlin worked in espionage for the KGB. His motive was purely from feeling overlooked for promotion. Fluent in Russian he also worked at GCHQ after returning from Germany. In 1982 he was charged with espionage and sentenced to 38 years.

    • @aboukirman3508
      @aboukirman3508 Рік тому

      Geoffrey Prime...a child abuser, as well as a spy.

    • @Bulletguy07
      @Bulletguy07 Рік тому +43

      @@aboukirman3508 Yes.....35 years for espionage and 3 years for child abuse. Anthony Blunt who also committed espionage simply lost his knighthood and was allowed to continue working as the Queens art adviser. But Blunt, Philby, Burgess and McLean all had Oxbridge education whilst Prime attended a college in Stoke-on-Trent.

    • @aboukirman3508
      @aboukirman3508 Рік тому +20

      @@Bulletguy07 It turned out that Blunt was actually a distant cousin of the Queen...which was kept quiet until recently...so he had blue blood as well as an Oxbride education!!!

    • @Bulletguy07
      @Bulletguy07 Рік тому +28

      @@aboukirman3508 Yes it just goes to show how this country still supports 'class' and the old boy network.

    • @volleybiggs
      @volleybiggs Рік тому +38

      I hope those Americans that worked for stasi had their citizenship revoked! Then they laugh about like it was nothing. So messed up

  • @edwardloomis887
    @edwardloomis887 Рік тому +453

    Served with U.S. forces in Berlin, 1984-1987. The first thing newcomers did was attend "The School of Standards" for two weeks that told us repeatedly that we would be targeted by spies. This video confirms what we were taught.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  Рік тому +35

      Thanks so much for sharing your experience here. Have you ever been to Berlin again after 1987?

    • @edwardloomis887
      @edwardloomis887 Рік тому +75

      @@DWHistoryandCulture, absolutely. In 1989, six months before the Wall fell, and 2-3 times 1999-2002. Despite the intensity of the Cold War era, many U.S. veterans will say that Berlin is one of their favorite cities for that very reason. I love the city and remain thrilled that 100% of its residents are free because they were patient with our presence.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  Рік тому +36

      @@edwardloomis887 What a precious insight, thank you. Berlin is indeed such a fascinating city also due to its past(s) and there are so many stories waiting to be told. What was your favourite spot?

    • @happynowfarms
      @happynowfarms Рік тому +11

      ​@@DWHistoryandCulture Starioned with Us Army for two years in Berlin 92-94. Hard to pick a favorite place in Berlin, there is so much history and culture in the city. I am a history buff so going from the West to the East was especially eye opening. It was like going back in time.

    • @edwardloomis887
      @edwardloomis887 Рік тому +9

      @DW History and Culture , loved my favorite Dahlem neighborhood club for its gemütlichkeit and going to Green Week/Grüene Woche each year.

  • @laurenzplr
    @laurenzplr Рік тому +309

    26 minutes and 7 seconds of pure entertainment combined with knowledge, great work by whoever made that movie 👍

  • @More-than-ladyboys
    @More-than-ladyboys Рік тому +53

    Lived in West Berlin throughout the 80’s. Still the most surreal period of my life so far. Interesting doc. Cheers. 🙏🏼

    • @fubliani1882
      @fubliani1882 8 місяців тому +1

      you should write a memoire to share your experience!

  • @erichstocker8358
    @erichstocker8358 9 місяців тому +52

    Actually until 1955 Vienna had the same situation. It was divided by the victorious powers. I remember because when I was in Vienna my grandmother lived in the Russian zone and when we visited her, we obviously did also. In Hallein we lived in the American zone.Also, Niederösterreich was Russian and Vienna is in that center. So, it was a similar if smaller situation as Germany.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  8 місяців тому +7

      Your input is valued by us and the community-thank you for sharing.

  • @ralphwatkins9170
    @ralphwatkins9170 5 місяців тому +16

    One of my patients was stationed in West Berlin during the Airlift. It's where he met his beautiful Czech wife. But their relationship was not by happen chance. In postwar Berlin, the KGB rounded up pretty women from around their new territories. Sent them to places like Berlin & Vienna to mingle & collect intelligence from western allied troops. My patient was a supply SGT during the Berlin Airlift. His future wife made sure she got selected to be one of those female spies. She had plans of her own. She did supply the KGB with information for a while while she had told her love about how she was being used. So when he got orders to go back to the US, they got married the night before & they were both flown to the US. That was her plan all along. To escape the Soviet takeover. I was stationed in Berlin for 3 years in the early 80s in the intelligence field. It was like living in a spy novel.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  5 місяців тому

      Thank you for sharing your story. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences with our community.

  • @CuttySobz
    @CuttySobz 7 місяців тому +16

    The satisfaction on the faces of the soviet spies makes me sick.

  • @ArnoldVeeman
    @ArnoldVeeman Рік тому +73

    I just watched this documentary on Berlin and it brought back so many memories for me. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Berlin multiple times for performances in the East, including at B-Flat and Haus der Sinne. The stories I heard while there were sometimes weird and even scary, but always deeply emotional. There were a few moments that I will never forget.
    First was my visit to Hohenshönhausen. It was a sobering experience that left me with a deeper understanding of the city's history. Second was the moment when I expressed my sympathy for a friend in East Berlin after seeing the movie "Das Leben der Anderen." She smiled briefly but then started to cry, saying that things were much worse than the movie portrayed.
    I also spoke with Uwe, the owner of Haus der Sinne, who shared that during his youth, leaving the city was forbidden. Now, many people can't leave because of financial constraints. Finally, I met someone who claimed to have served alongside Honecker. He showed me around East Berlin and was a wealth of information. We even went on a date at Hostaria del Monte Croce, a wonderful trattoria, but I couldn't help but feel on edge due to all the signaling going on around him.
    All these experiences gave me a glimpse into the complexities of Berlin. It's a city that I would love to live in if I ever get the chance. Berlin's youth culture is still very much alive and visible, but it's important to remember the city's darker history too. My brother, a journalist, once told me that young people love Berlin because it allowed them to escape conscription. I can see why - it's a truly unique and fascinating place.

    • @HassanCodA-Xod8hm
      @HassanCodA-Xod8hm 4 місяці тому +2

      Love that film 🎥
      I live in tower block on social housing estate in Manchester and my best friend calls it Stasi Land round here. 🤕

  • @dykvhkl
    @dykvhkl Рік тому +41

    Little side fact:
    2016 a vietnamese manager and politician who flew to germany, got kidnapped by vietnamese secret agents in broad daylight in Berlin. He was flown to Vietnam where he admitted his guilt. Germany just realized what happened after he was on vietnamese national TV. Because of GDR and Vietnams great relationship in the past the vietnamese secret service got trained by the Stasi and is still using alot of their spying methods today, which if you consider the mentioned story seem to be still working.

    • @meeeka
      @meeeka 10 місяців тому +1

      Ja, ja; the great relation between the DDR and Vietnam. I was in the former DDR in the early 90s when (I was told) unemployed and crazy Essies ran through the streets of Magdeburg, Halle, and places in Leipzig chasing entrepreneurial Turks and Vietnamese, bashing them as the crowds caught up. And there I was reporting on these mishaps a fortnight later for English language press, being chased by probably the same people. Oh the ignominy of it all!

    • @dykvhkl
      @dykvhkl 10 місяців тому +6

      @@meeeka well as a vietnamese person who was born and raised in east berlin, I can confirm that there were violent situations between uneducated germans and my fellow vietnamese. Nonetheless I wouldn’t say that these confrontations were a majority but rather exceptions to the rule. Most of us got along very well with the germans and I don’t put a few stupid germans in the same box with the majority of the decent ones. There are bad people from every country and every political ideology.

    • @czompolyerik
      @czompolyerik 2 місяці тому

      Yep, he was transported through Slovakia, and come to Vietnam by our special government plane.
      Nobody is in jail for that.

  • @srccde
    @srccde Рік тому +35

    4:50 The Ministry of State Security and the Stasi were literally one and the same. 'Stasi' is just an abbreviation for 'Staatsicherheit' (as in Ministerium für Staatssicherheit).

  • @BigDaddy-yp4mi
    @BigDaddy-yp4mi 4 місяці тому +13

    I'm a huge espionage fan. It's VERY hard to come up with new material. But, you guys did it. My only complaint is that is not an hour long.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  4 місяці тому

      We're glad you liked the documentary. Make sure to subscribe to our channel for the latest uploads.

  • @El.Duder-ino
    @El.Duder-ino 8 місяців тому +4

    Another excellent documentary film, thank u DW! On the other hand u need to make all the no longer available documentaries available again at least to subscribed users! A lot of great stuff have been lost!

  • @Zoom_1012
    @Zoom_1012 9 місяців тому +21

    Why Berlin documentary.
    This was quite fascinating. I’ve always been intrigued with the spy world.
    Our neighbors are from Germany (they’re now U.S. citizens). The husband was from East Germany but spied for West Germany (where his wife is from). It’s incredibly enthralling to listen to his recounts and stories of spying.
    Thank you for sharing this documentary on UA-cam.
    🌴☀️🌴

    • @letstalk1757
      @letstalk1757 4 місяці тому +1

      Wife ruled for sure 😅

  • @Mememeep
    @Mememeep Рік тому +45

    A friend of us was a border guard of DDR. He told us that he is always afraid that his patrol mate will try to escape DDR and shoot him dead during the process.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  Рік тому +9

      Oh, that sounds terrifying indeed! Thanks for sharing.

    • @brendawilliams8062
      @brendawilliams8062 9 місяців тому +1

      It would also come down to has the McDonald supplies in stock. From small to large.

  • @robertandromo
    @robertandromo 10 місяців тому +3

    Great piece! Loved The Traitor and the Spy by Ben Macintyre, his book Double Cross also excellent.

  • @Eye_of_a_Texan
    @Eye_of_a_Texan 9 місяців тому +14

    It stands to reason that it's still a hot bed. Even after all this time, the American bases in Germany and Japan are the largest foreign ones that I know of. It stands to reason that large military bases will have intelligence assets for counter intelligence if nothing else. Developing already secure locations into a hub for intelligence reports just makes logistical sense. Since foreign governments know that the assets are there... of course they're going to try occasional, if not constant, probes and covert ops. Large cities are great cover for spies. It's really difficult for new neighbors to blend in with the locals in a rural setting. Berlin is one of the largest cities in Germany, therefore it will have spies. I'm sure the 5-10 largest cities in the US have foreign covert agents somewhere.

  • @Raitraube
    @Raitraube Рік тому +31

    Great research. Worth watching till the end, I truly enjoyed every minute. Thank you!

  • @omarhamid3638
    @omarhamid3638 Рік тому +64

    Brilliant work. This channel always publishes the highest quality whilst being so entertaining 👏☺️👍

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  Рік тому +5

      oh, thank you very much, Omar, we appreciate your comment very much. Stay tuned 🤓

    • @omarhamid3638
      @omarhamid3638 Рік тому +1

      @@DWHistoryandCulture You’re very welcome DW History and Culture 😊 I’ve subscribed, given a thumbs up and I now look forward to the next one 👍

    • @davidanalyst671
      @davidanalyst671 Рік тому

      okay omar, tell me why Berlin is the spy capital of the world. and dont forget that the video ended with the question "Is berlin the spy capital of the world"? DW publishes nothing but garbage and greenie garbage.

  • @DanielSteinmetz-fr5so
    @DanielSteinmetz-fr5so Рік тому +9

    Gefällt mir gut. Schön gemacht und informativ.

  • @locosychocrazy1
    @locosychocrazy1 Рік тому +37

    My favorite spy thriller is Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Both the book and movie are great. A Most Wanted Man (the movie) is really good. I 'm going to start reading The Little Drummer Girl by Le Carre. Also, big fan of the Mission Impossible movies.

    • @jaleel42
      @jaleel42 11 місяців тому

      Good movies ,.

    • @mdc8223
      @mdc8223 10 місяців тому

      Have you seen series: Rubicon? And the Bourne chase?😊

  • @rl945
    @rl945 8 місяців тому +7

    The traitors who claim the DDR was a “worthy idea” should be made to live in the Kolyma prison camps right after having their bones and jaws broken in Lubianka.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  8 місяців тому +1

      Thank you for watching. We welcome different perspectives that lead to lively discussions. However, we kindly ask you to maintain a respectful attitude towards other users and opinions.

  • @Sebojaner
    @Sebojaner 9 місяців тому +5

    Ich finde die Doku war super. Allerdings solltet ihr als öffentlich-rechtlich bezahlter Sender die Werbung bei UA-cam ausschalten!

  • @timothykangethe7700
    @timothykangethe7700 Рік тому +3

    Fascinating on edge account of the Cold War era.
    Excellent insights for Spy 📚 and 🎬 ; of more importance is the delicate balance of diplomatic coexistence between the East & the West. 🤝
    We all need Peace✌️

  • @jrtstrategicapital560
    @jrtstrategicapital560 9 місяців тому +5

    Great documentary! I recall traveling through it all during the 60s, 70s and 80s…we all carried coins in case we had to use a public phone! It’s all rather comical now with our cell phones but strangely eerie during the Cold War.

  • @ulrikeotzen1761
    @ulrikeotzen1761 3 місяці тому +2

    In May 1989, we (from Hamburg, Germany) spent our Abifahrt (Highschool Graduation Trip) in West Berlin.
    Mandatory D-Mark to Ost Mark exchange, the metro that did not stop at the East-Berlin stations, closed Brandenburger Tor from the east, empty shopping windows, individual passport control at Friedrichstraße (that was the scariest part!)
    I am so proud and grateful for all the East Germans.They were brave enough to take to the streets. They all broke the wall.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  3 місяці тому

      Thanks for sharing your experience and memories with us and our community!

  • @adeemuff
    @adeemuff Рік тому +1

    This has been a nice report. Thanks for the upload!

  • @ElizabethMcIntyre-tv1wn
    @ElizabethMcIntyre-tv1wn Рік тому +30

    Fascinating documentary, reflecting both the past and present. Exciting, interesting and informative.

  • @gialamhuynh5448
    @gialamhuynh5448 Рік тому +1

    Fascinating !

  • @ChrisWyatt-oi9kt
    @ChrisWyatt-oi9kt Рік тому +2

    Fascinating and insightful!

  • @Ulitheone-kh6fl
    @Ulitheone-kh6fl Рік тому +56

    Wow, super. I would like to come to Berlin and see it all. What a city full of history.

    • @RonanTOC
      @RonanTOC Рік тому +8

      Great city

    • @erik_griswold
      @erik_griswold Рік тому +2

      History and Skeletons

    • @ericrawson7669
      @ericrawson7669 Рік тому +2

      Fantastic city and wonderful people.
      Will be returning next year.
      Make sure you visit,you won’t regret it!

    • @WCSPriest
      @WCSPriest Рік тому +1

      Come, come. Be careful, I came and now I’m staying.

  • @aritrachanda8662
    @aritrachanda8662 Рік тому +3

    KFC and KGB 😂 WHAT A COINCIDENCE 21:18

  • @andrewdoyle6518
    @andrewdoyle6518 Рік тому +25

    I remember flying into Berlin in 89, travelling through the corridor being stopped at checkpoints by Russian soldiers. Seeing the Sanger’s from ww2 either side of the corridor was scary at the time as I was only 19. Served in Berlin for 2 years knocking that wall down in my uniform.

    • @GiancarloBenzina
      @GiancarloBenzina 4 місяці тому

      Guess you were one of the gazillian tourists every year.

    • @peterfreeman1585
      @peterfreeman1585 4 місяці тому +1

      Andrew
      Being severed in Berlin must have been an ordeal.
      What part of you did they cut off?

    • @andrewdoyle6518
      @andrewdoyle6518 4 місяці тому

      😝

    • @raghavgupta7715
      @raghavgupta7715 4 місяці тому

      You must have very interesting stories to tell!

  • @faresmejdi5216
    @faresmejdi5216 Рік тому +7

    The Honourable Woman is my favorite and the most realist spy thriller ever made! the night manager series is also a great one!

  • @dshamiljathaddaus1287
    @dshamiljathaddaus1287 9 місяців тому +7

    How are these people allowed to walk fee having worked for a literal terror apparatus which persecuted and tortured people? Despicable to say the least and questionable choice of interviewees..

    • @michaln1104
      @michaln1104 3 місяці тому +1

      Exactly. Blows my mind, as well. Oh "we never killed anyone" - yea, but thanks to you countless people may have been kidnapped, tortured and then killed. But of course - not by you. WTF.

  • @GermanGreetings
    @GermanGreetings 7 місяців тому +3

    I felt this `Capitol of Cold War`, when I was a child, when I was a nearly grown up... and after Glasnost 1989... suddenly feeling old, a part of present history within the span of a lifetime... suffered mostly at Checkpoint Charly, a symbol like Omaha Beach... for the blessed life, I was allowed to live.
    Kneeling down: Thanks to all, who fought for that. Respect and Remembrance to those, who died on those bloody beaches and those silly borders.

  • @s66458---
    @s66458--- Рік тому +6

    Well done. Been a few years since I lived in Berlin. Still remember visiting the Stassi museum. Interesting. The spooks are interesting folks. Run across them in my line of work, some are friends.

    • @skipstopstart
      @skipstopstart Рік тому +1

      True, super weird there's no museum for whatever the western version of the Stasi was though.

    • @franc9111
      @franc9111 3 місяці тому +1

      @@skipstopstart Yes there is - it's the Espionage Museum in Berlin, it's well worth visiting. There are also various guided tours in Berlin where you can find out about escape tunnels and how the U-bahn employees got out of East Berlin and so on.

    • @skipstopstart
      @skipstopstart 3 місяці тому

      @@franc9111 Oh yeah I know, I was born in Berlin, that's the Museum that portrays the Stasi as being the only bad guys in the equation Lol

  • @Afaq-ur-RehmanRajput
    @Afaq-ur-RehmanRajput 9 місяців тому

    Up to the mark, wow!! awesome work im your new subscriber🎉🎉

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  9 місяців тому

      Thanks a lot for watching and for your positive feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to comment and are glad you like our content!

    • @Afaq-ur-RehmanRajput
      @Afaq-ur-RehmanRajput 9 місяців тому

      @@DWHistoryandCulture your welcome 🥰

  • @christianplesser2964
    @christianplesser2964 Рік тому +2

    very interesting 👍👍👍

  • @frederickmwaurah7590
    @frederickmwaurah7590 5 місяців тому +1

    " Barlin Station" one of my best spy movie collections.

  • @peacelife
    @peacelife 7 місяців тому

    Good vid 👏

  • @CmasonFrance
    @CmasonFrance Рік тому +7

    I went to Potsdammer park 10 years ago, to play with a street theatre band. Even to this day eastern germans do not express themselves in public, look straight ahead, look through you. We walked to the parc dressed in fluoresant ballet cloths, but in the road, on the buses no one smiled or looked at us ! Once in the parc the atmosphere was compleatly different, more festive.
    We were told this was from during the cold war, when everyone felt surveyed.

    • @sunrae3971
      @sunrae3971 Рік тому

      " no one smiled or looked at us". Why should anyone care about you? Seems you a very self centered. You know how many events, demonstration and people are around the Berlin Area every day. You really believe your fancy theatre dress is something special here to witness 🤣. Just yesterday a women and a men with two huge american bald eagles on their arms moved along my street from a movie set, that is something i stop for. Beautiful Animals. I have seen famous people going into the same grocery store like me, i do not care. They have a right on a normal live and not to be bothered like anybody else. If you want to be seen you will have to step up your game in Berlin Area.

    • @tre641
      @tre641 5 місяців тому +1

      I am from berlin and thats not true at all😂I dont know which person told you that, but that is so wrong it just can be a lie. Its the german mentality in general and has nothing to do with the cold war.

    • @Lisi_Mxo
      @Lisi_Mxo 3 місяці тому

      Its feels the same in Austria, but generally once you make contact you realize the person is just reserved not plotting or paranoid. As a South African (Black) I found this weird at first as a man wonders sometimes. Luckily I come from a place where a conversation can and will happen at any time with strangers and when I apply this mentality with Austrians & Germans, I'm always pleasantly surprised by the warm reception. Whenever I'm in South Africa, I miss the calm, when I'm in Austria/Germany I miss the interactivity. @@tre641

  • @roksanamakowska-michalak369
    @roksanamakowska-michalak369 Рік тому +22

    I have a few and that includes underappreciated ' Spy game' (2001), 'Red Sparrow' (2018) or 'Jack Strong' (2014); also classic Bourne trilogy. Cities that these takes place are Berlin, Budapest, Warsaw, Moscow. Certainly, my heart goes with central and eastern location across the Europe :)

  • @h3rbst
    @h3rbst 3 місяці тому +1

    Kind of cute how they portray these spy couples 😍

  • @robertsmith5744
    @robertsmith5744 Рік тому +12

    The Cold War Never Ended.

  • @Mrgunsngear
    @Mrgunsngear Рік тому

    Thanks

  • @ireneduo7769
    @ireneduo7769 Рік тому +3

    wow amazing video! very informative 🕶️

  • @moeonell4374
    @moeonell4374 Рік тому +8

    A really good documentation. Gave me a fascinating insight

  • @belejSLO
    @belejSLO Рік тому +61

    Pretty disgusting. People were tortured and killed yet people who facilitated this are presented here as heroes and can walk around freely and without shame. Disgusting to say the least.

    • @funbarsolaris2822
      @funbarsolaris2822 Рік тому +28

      Same can be said for any military personelle serving for the US or UK though. They were all doing the same things

    • @alpha-dq5nh
      @alpha-dq5nh Рік тому

      Don't compare the Stasi, KGB, AVS and other Eastern Bloc security agencies with CIA, MI6 or BND. Those Commie SOBs were absolute monsters.

    • @marcoyankovich
      @marcoyankovich Рік тому +4

      @@funbarsolaris2822 Ofc, but this dude doesn´t want to see that.

    • @patricklinehan4747
      @patricklinehan4747 Рік тому

      The hint is in the name, cold WAR! People die in wartime, its an unavoidable fact. People also survive war and if they are deemed not to have committed crimes, they go home.

    • @dotnet97
      @dotnet97 Рік тому

      @@funbarsolaris2822 Clearly that's why the Soviets/East Germany had to build a wall! They were just the same as the West and that's why they had a problem of people running from them to the evil West!!1!! /s

  • @SkywalkerPaul
    @SkywalkerPaul Рік тому +3

    Watching from my couch in Berlin 😊

    • @selenem3384
      @selenem3384 Місяць тому

      your tv / laptop / phone may be spying on you - check the adds popping up with shopping suggestions

  • @EuroScot
    @EuroScot Рік тому +2

    I lived on Gatow from 1977 til 1981 and 1983 til 1987. The Stasi agents on the camp were always known and thats why they were kept out of Hangar 4 where my dad worked. I lived this life a long time and I am now living back in Germany

  • @spotontheroad1
    @spotontheroad1 4 місяці тому

    Favourite spy thriller? The Game, Set and Match trilogy by Len Deighton. Superb.

  • @wisamsamier
    @wisamsamier Рік тому +5

    اتمنى من قناتكم ان تقوم بترجمة هذا الوثائقي

  • @nathanngumi8467
    @nathanngumi8467 Рік тому +1

    Very intriguing!

  • @goingoutonmyshield2811
    @goingoutonmyshield2811 Рік тому +3

    I thought i would have seen at least one clip from the Movie "The lives of Others" but good micro-doc!

  • @user-zm1rq6xj9v
    @user-zm1rq6xj9v 4 місяці тому

    I would love to see more Cold War movies, especially one about the Stasi

  • @valerinenkov2318
    @valerinenkov2318 11 місяців тому +2

    I thought would be about the situation nowadays because in the title it said "Still the spy city", but that's completely historical content

  • @hernan5940
    @hernan5940 7 місяців тому +4

    Anyone who was a Stasi/KGB agent out of ideals, should live the rest of its life with minimum wage or even less. Edit: in North Korea, Cuba or another scht hole

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  7 місяців тому

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We truly appreciate diverse perspectives that contribute to meaningful discussions. However, we kindly ask to maintain a respectful attitude in the comment section.

    • @hernan5940
      @hernan5940 7 місяців тому +2

      @@DWHistoryandCulture respectful? I offended dictatorships? I'm not sure what's going on.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  7 місяців тому +3

      @@hernan5940 Thank you for your comment. People and views can change over time. Someone who joined the Stasi out of conviction, might have changed their views and regret their implication in the system. Lifelong punishments usually do not take into account the human capacity for change.

    • @hernan5940
      @hernan5940 7 місяців тому +2

      @@DWHistoryandCultureYou (whoever you are) could be right. Perhaps should do and have done the same with Nazis? (Don't lose your job trying to answer that)

  • @somaghosh2960
    @somaghosh2960 Рік тому

    Very nice documentary on Spy.
    Very thank you DW history and Culture.

  • @hermandegroot1946
    @hermandegroot1946 Рік тому +1

    Very interesting documentary. Thanks

  • @sarcasmo57
    @sarcasmo57 Рік тому +2

    Super interesting.

  • @genaroayala8100
    @genaroayala8100 Рік тому

    @2:10. The music reminds me at Super Mario's Ghost House. Which is extremely appropriate for a spy video.

  • @fastenglish7534
    @fastenglish7534 Рік тому +4

    James Bond?
    The Man without face?
    Good stuff

  • @olexandrs6639
    @olexandrs6639 Рік тому +6

    Jesus Christ! It's Jason Bourne.

  • @connectingthedots100
    @connectingthedots100 9 місяців тому

    I like the film "23"

  • @user-og2ze7rb6e
    @user-og2ze7rb6e 9 місяців тому

    i dont want to work anymore. im not gonna think anymore 😂

  • @lucianasalles7272
    @lucianasalles7272 8 місяців тому

    Olá Jason, eu não encher no seu orçamento. O que podemos fazer por Detroit? Filmar lá,?

  • @GeorgeJob-zr9er
    @GeorgeJob-zr9er 8 місяців тому +1

    John Le Carre best author on Dying, my favourite is " The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" and " The Ipcross File"

  • @Saj_R
    @Saj_R Рік тому +24

    Just look at the English of the former spies... Fluent and no accents!!! They are trained sooo well

    • @ironsugar8690
      @ironsugar8690 10 місяців тому +3

      Some are natural talents

    • @poisonivy8862
      @poisonivy8862 9 місяців тому +4

      They've always recruited most from language students

    • @rosalindgrxc0e
      @rosalindgrxc0e 4 місяці тому +1

      @@poisonivy8862not all the time. it’s mostly people who can pick up languages quickly no matter if you’ve studied them or not. it’s certain specific character traits they look for not just what language marks u get on exams.

    • @selenem3384
      @selenem3384 Місяць тому

      ​@@poisonivy8862this confirmed in Killing Eve

  • @runnerawe
    @runnerawe Рік тому +1

    exciting thank you

  • @chaimfood3006
    @chaimfood3006 Рік тому +1

    Truly excited

  • @matthewhendricks1891
    @matthewhendricks1891 Рік тому +23

    Wow what a documentary. I live in Berlin and we are all just blissfully unaware of what is happening in the underground of this city. So crazy😂

  • @SenayGebremeskel-hp9xr
    @SenayGebremeskel-hp9xr Рік тому

    The spy and homeland are my favorite spy movies

  • @mdc8223
    @mdc8223 10 місяців тому

    Rubicon is a very good spionage thriler!! 😊😊❤

  • @sessionsw9657
    @sessionsw9657 Рік тому +1

    "hired" better said would be forced, if they declined they would be blackmailed and tortured. I have seen the inside of those Stasi prisons. What these prisoners suffert through is unimaginable

  • @mindex36
    @mindex36 9 місяців тому +2

    Why they are not in prison?

  • @MM22966
    @MM22966 10 місяців тому +4

    Those two traitors, Schevitzs, got 18 months in jail and a light fine. The way they smile in this docu turns my stomach.

  • @patricklinehan4747
    @patricklinehan4747 Рік тому +14

    During the cold war, Vienna is probably the city with the best claim to being the spy capital of the Cold War. These days, its more industrial espionage than standard spying.

    • @skipstopstart
      @skipstopstart Рік тому +1

      Why was Vienna never split into sectors after Austria lost WW2?

    • @60iger29
      @60iger29 Рік тому +1

      @@skipstopstart It was but then Austria pledged to be neutral and got it's freedom in return.

    • @skipstopstart
      @skipstopstart Рік тому

      @@60iger29 Thanks for answering. Hopefully Russia will be offered neutrality after Putin has a stroke and new elections are called. They won't be fair elections but hopefully whoever is elected won't distract from problems at home by waging war abroad.

    • @michaelgrabner8977
      @michaelgrabner8977 Рік тому +3

      @@skipstopstart Vienna was splitted into 4 occupation-zones from 1945 - 1955 as like as Berlin.... even whole Austria was splitted at that time into 4 occupation-zones amongst USA, Russia, UK and France as same as like Germany.

    • @skipstopstart
      @skipstopstart Рік тому

      @@michaelgrabner8977 Ey, danke für die Info Michael, lag es also im Fall Deutschlands eher daß die Russen nicht ihren Sektor aufgegeben hätten; oder eher daß Westdeutschland keine Neutralität wollte?

  • @hinzuzufugen7358
    @hinzuzufugen7358 Рік тому +2

    Historical account refraining from investigating the slightest of Chinese, Vietnamese, North Korean or Iranian activity around city and country. About Russian activity only the spectacular... Der deutsche Michel schläft weiter...

  • @starcrib
    @starcrib 11 місяців тому +1

    Was in Berlin just after the wall was coming down.. i have never seen anything like that. Talk about being Young and American. ☄️

  • @chaloouser9496
    @chaloouser9496 Рік тому +3

    Spy x Family is also based in Berlin

  • @demonslayer2548
    @demonslayer2548 Рік тому +5

    As always french intelligence is missing 😂

  • @ericrawson7669
    @ericrawson7669 Рік тому +6

    My favourite film about Spies is
    Tinker,Tailor,Soldier,Spy based on the book of the same name by John Le Carre.

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  Рік тому +2

      Oh yes, John Le Carré is such a mastermind! Thanks for sharing this film here.

  • @bencaspar
    @bencaspar Рік тому +3

    The one true crime in this video is mrs. Shevitz' wig

    • @Agencetourix
      @Agencetourix Рік тому

      I had to scroll this far to see someone mention it

    • @bencaspar
      @bencaspar Рік тому

      @@Agencetourix and I am glad you did, handsome bearded man :D

  • @teddyly6878
    @teddyly6878 Рік тому +4

    its very interesting

  • @seasaw1405
    @seasaw1405 Рік тому +2

    I wonder if they have a Hitman on theirs head by an old enemy after this interview

  • @desiderium3243
    @desiderium3243 9 місяців тому +1

    20:35 as a Jewish person myself I have to disagree with not only the “experiment” but supporting the GDR after having so many SS members train the Stasi and continuing the atrocities of the Einsatzgruppen.

  • @AAND8805
    @AAND8805 Рік тому +5

    This is so interesting DW, any plans to make it a whole series documentary on this topic?

    • @DWHistoryandCulture
      @DWHistoryandCulture  Рік тому +4

      Oh, thank you! We’ll see if there is a way to tell more of those stories here. Stay tuned 👏🏻

  • @doflamingo1360
    @doflamingo1360 9 місяців тому

    4:08 real life Loid and Yor? 😂

  • @blaisebizimana2062
    @blaisebizimana2062 Рік тому +1

    I am hereby to confirm that DW is now a leading source of knowledge.

  • @paulstorm2135
    @paulstorm2135 17 днів тому

    Smileys People (Renault le Car) paired with Bourne in the USA and Chris Hani in Nylstroom

  • @user-zh3yi9xw9y
    @user-zh3yi9xw9y 3 місяці тому

    @deutschewelle Is this documention available in German?

  • @scottscottsdale7868
    @scottscottsdale7868 Рік тому +6

    Those two Americans should be ashamed. I don’t think they are.

    • @antonk3533
      @antonk3533 Рік тому +1

      I don’t think they are American, they were just stationed in the US

    • @damonmelendez856
      @damonmelendez856 Рік тому

      I hope they don’t live around vengeful neighbors who suffered under communism- they don’t deserve to be harmed

  • @volodymyrplita3325
    @volodymyrplita3325 Рік тому +6

    “… along with Russia freed the city”. Please, it’s not Russia but Soviet Union, the part of it was also Ukraine, Belarus and many other republics. And rather not freed, but occupied

  • @taxofonas
    @taxofonas 4 місяці тому +1

    It's troubling to see someone who spied for the KGB just standing there smiling. It's like hearing someone say, 'I worked for the Nazis. It was fun; we traveled a lot,' and then see them smile about it. People like that should be in jail.
    Unfortunately, soviet crimes weren't condemned enough. This has translated into many misconceptions about russia as well, with people not realizing how imperialistic and fascist they are.

  • @killickr
    @killickr Рік тому +1

    Favourite film is "Funeral in Berlin". Spent a lot of time there in the early 70's.

  • @achimmette
    @achimmette Рік тому +4

    1:37 The Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and not as told in 1999

  • @CEBRU07
    @CEBRU07 Рік тому +3

    I could make comments from Paris.But this is too dangerous. Paris has always been v dangerous too.And...still is.

  • @blqckpop
    @blqckpop Рік тому +1

    There are great bars and restaurants in Berlin, I think that attracts them there! 😉

  • @user-qb8fp8oj1p
    @user-qb8fp8oj1p 9 місяців тому

    Halo! 😍James Bond