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[[Image:Stasi.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The official emblem of the ''Stasi'']]

[[Image:Stasi.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The official emblem of the ''Stasi'']]

The '''Ministerium für Staatssicherheit''' ([[German]]: "Ministry for State Security"), more commonly known by its truncated abbreviation the '''Stasi''', was the official secret police of [[East Germany]]. As probably the most comprehensive internal security operation of the Cold War, it was widely regarded as one of the most effective, and repressive, intelligence and secret police agencies in the world. Founded on 8 February 1950, the Stasi's motto was ''Schild und Schwert der Partei'' (''Shield and Sword of the Party''). It was disbanded with the fall of the [[Berlin Wall]] in 1989.

The '''Ministerium für Staatssicherheit''' ([[German]]: "Ministry for State Security"), more commonly known by its truncated abbreviation, the '''Stasi''', was the official secret police of [[East Germany]]. As probably the most comprehensive internal security organisation of the Cold War, it was widely regarded as one of the most effective, and repressive, intelligence and secret police agencies in the world. Founded on 8 February 1950, the Stasi's motto was ''Schild und Schwert der Partei'' ("Shield and Sword of the Party"). It was disbanded with the fall of the [[Berlin Wall]] in 1989.

The Stasi controlled a widespread network of informants, and out of a population of 16 million it is estimated that 400,000 people were active informants. The Stasi maintained files on 6 million of its own citizens, more than 38% of the entire population, and all telephone calls and mail from the West were monitored. Back-to-back, the files would have stretched more than 100 miles.<ref>Rosenberg, Steve ''Computers to solve Stasi puzzle'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6692895.stm BBC News] 25 May 2007. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref> Stasi operatives routinely collected scent samples (''Geruchsproben'' "smell samples")from people by wiping cloth over objects they had touched or by breaking into people’s homes and stealing their dirty underwear, the samples then being stored in airtight containers.<ref>''Smell Jars of the Stasi'' [http://www.kirchersociety.org/blog/2007/04/05/smell-jars-of-the-stasi/ Kircher Society] 5 April 2007. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref> The scents were then passed to police equipped with sniffer dogs who could pick the individuals out amid a crowd.<ref>''Germany adopts Stasi scent tactic '' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6683803.stm BBC News] 23 May 2007. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref> People were imprisoned and tortured simply for telling political jokes.<ref>''Fearsome Stasi held nation in its grip'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/09/99/britain_betrayed/451031.stm BBC News] 20 September, 1999. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref>

The Stasi controlled a widespread network of informants, and out of a population of 16 million it is estimated that 400,000 people were active informants. The Stasi maintained files on 6 million of its own citizens, more than 38% of the entire population, and all telephone calls and mail from the West were monitored. Back-to-back, the files would have stretched more than 100 miles.<ref>Rosenberg, Steve ''Computers to solve Stasi puzzle'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6692895.stm BBC News] 25 May 2007. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref> Stasi operatives routinely collected scent samples (''Geruchsproben'' "smell samples") from people by wiping cloth over objects they had touched or by breaking into people’s homes and stealing their dirty underwear, the samples then being stored in airtight containers.<ref>''Smell Jars of the Stasi'' [http://www.kirchersociety.org/blog/2007/04/05/smell-jars-of-the-stasi/ Kircher Society] 5 April 2007. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref> The scents were then passed to police equipped with sniffer dogs who could pick the individuals out amid a crowd.<ref>''Germany adopts Stasi scent tactic '' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6683803.stm BBC News] 23 May 2007. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref> People were imprisoned and tortured simply for telling political jokes.<ref>''Fearsome Stasi held nation in its grip'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/09/99/britain_betrayed/451031.stm BBC News] 20 September, 1999. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref>

It extensively penetrated [[West Germany|West Germany's]] governing circles and military and intelligence services. The discovery in April 1974 that Günter Guillaume, a top aide to West German Chancellor Willy Brandt, was in fact an East German spy led Mr Brandt's resignation two weeks later.<ref>''Fearsome Stasi held nation in its grip'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/09/99/britain_betrayed/451031.stm BBC News] 20 September, 1999. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref> The head of the Stasi's foreign intelligence division, '''Markus Wolf''', claimed that the [[CIA]] asked him to defect to the [[United States|US]] when the Wall fell, with the offer of a home in [[California]] and a "big salary".<ref>''Stasi spy chief Markus Wolf dies'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6131584.stm BBC News] 9 November 2006. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref>  

It extensively penetrated [[West Germany|West Germany's]] governing circles and military and intelligence services. The discovery in April 1974 that Günter Guillaume, a top aide to West German Chancellor Willy Brandt, was in fact an East German spy led Mr Brandt's resignation two weeks later.<ref>''Fearsome Stasi held nation in its grip'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/09/99/britain_betrayed/451031.stm BBC News] 20 September, 1999. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref> The head of the Stasi's foreign intelligence division, '''Markus Wolf''', claimed that the [[CIA]] asked him to defect to the [[United States|US]] when the Wall fell, with the offer of a home in [[California]] and a "big salary".<ref>''Stasi spy chief Markus Wolf dies'' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6131584.stm BBC News] 9 November 2006. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref>