Podcasts about East Germany

In this hour, stories of support systems and the people we depend on. In elementary school band, during medical events, and in the midst of a dangerous escape. This episode is hosted by Moth Senior Director Meg Bowles. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media. Storytellers: Ryan Roe's father proves instrumental at a school concert. Eldon Smith struggles to connect to his girlfriend's kids. Silke Nied's family hatches a plan to escape East Germany. Brun Durgin becomes her father's caregiver. Podcast # 921 To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marcel Dirsus is fascinated by the treadmill of tyranny: how dictators gain power, how they stay there and how they fall. This is his blueprint for bringing an end to authoritarianism.With democracies seemingly faltering worldwide, political scientist and writer Marcel Dirsus is putting tyrants under the microscope to better understand how they rise and how they fall.Years ago, Marcel took a break from his university studies and travelled to central Africa, where he took a job in a brewery.One day, while walking to work, he heard shots fired and an explosion in the distance as the military was launching a coup.The experience terrified him, and drew him into a study of tyrants — the dictators and despots who make life miserable for so many people on the planet.While they project an image of strength, guarded on all sides, and surrounded by people who do their bidding, Marcel says they live in fear.For the road to power is often flanked by the road to revolution.These men know a mass uprising, an assassination, a mutiny or a foreign invasion could end their reign at any moment, and who, or what will take their place?In investigating the long history of tyrannical leaders, however, Marcel has found a renewed optimism for Western Democracy.How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive is published by Hachette Australia.Marcel is appearing at the Sydney Writers' Festival on Friday 23 May.This episode of Conversations explores Putin, Xi Jinping, China, CCP, Russia, Trump, global politics, dictatorships, democracy, voting rights, election results, the new world order, Stalin, Hitler, famous leaders, Churchill, politics, books, writing, history, war, civil war, Africa, USSR, Elon Musk, Gaddafi, golden gun, torture, Libya, Syria, control, Machiavelli, monarchs, Al-Ghazali, East Germany, Congo, academia, what to study at university, coup, the elite, power systems, Cold War, Bashar al-Assad, Ukraine, surveillance, Roman Empire.

Katja Hoyer is a visiting Research Fellow at King's College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and is the author of Blood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire, 1871–1918 and Beyond the Wall: East Germany 1949-1990. In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk and Katja Hoyer discuss life in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), how it is remembered today—and whether the Wall still has an impact on German politics today. Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! Spotify | Apple | Google X: @Yascha_Mounk & @JoinPersuasion YouTube: Yascha Mounk, Persuasion LinkedIn: Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On 14 May 1955, the leader of the Soviet Union and leaders from seven European countries met to sign the Warsaw Pact. In the years following World War Two, the Soviet Union and the United States started the worldwide Cold War. While Western powers feared the spread of communism, the Soviets worried about US atomic bombs. What resulted was the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in 1949. The Warsaw Pact was signed six years later in response to West Germany joining NATO. Natasha Fernandes uses archive of East Germany's leader Otto Grotewohl to tell the story.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Soviet Premier, Nikolai Bulganin (centre) addresses Soviet leaders at the Warsaw Conference on 14 May 1955. From left to right: Marshal Ivan Koniev, Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, Bulganin and Marshal Gregori Zhukov. Credit: Bettmann via Getty images)

Cultural and Media CritiquesDisney's Hypocrisy and Cultural Influence (00:06:44 - 00:21:52)Travis exposes Disney's contradictory stance, operating a UAE theme park despite local anti-homosexuality laws while promoting progressive agendas in the U.S. He labels Disney a “grooming syndicate” driven by greed, citing Bob Iger's opposition to Florida's anti-grooming bill and inappropriate content in Star Wars: Andor as evidence of cultural manipulation.Critique of Modern Art and Hollywood (00:24:24 - 00:27:14)Travis denounces Hollywood and modern art for their soulless, ironic output, citing a Luigi Mangione musical as disrespectful. He accuses them of Marxist influences (e.g., Saul Alinsky) and spinelessness, failing to engage reality with depth or sincerity.Encouraging Christian Art (00:30:34 - 00:33:55)Travis calls for Christians to create art to counter demonic cultural influences, praising Doctor Universalis for its depiction of communion and emphasizing self-publishing's accessibility as a tool for cultural resistance.Hollywood's Decline and AI Art (00:36:29 - 00:39:07)Travis attributes Hollywood's decline to satanic influences and corporate control (e.g., BlackRock). He notes AI-generated art replicates vapid content, lacking depth and serving corporate quotas, reflecting a broader cultural decay.Political and Bureaucratic IssuesNew Pope's Background (01:03:09 - 01:06:25)Travis discusses the new American pope, Robert Prevost (Pope Leon XIV), highlighting his opposition to same-sex marriage and gender studies. He criticizes the media's focus on political metrics (e.g., Trump support) over theological substance.China-Russia Alliance (01:39:39 - 01:44:46)Travis warns of Xi Jinping and Putin's alliance to counter Western hegemony, noting their pursuit of power rather than anti-globalism. He predicts escalating U.S. conflict as a result of this geopolitical shift.Bureaucracy's Treason (01:50:50 - 01:54:22)Travis invokes Julien Benda's The Treason of the Clerics to critique intellectuals' political passions, calling Trump weak for failing to confront bureaucratic resistance and questioning his commitment to reform.War and Its ImpactsWar's Brutality in Storm of Steel (01:19:47 - 01:26:39)Travis reflects on Ernst Jünger's Storm of Steel, reading passages about World War I's romanticized yet brutal reality. He rejects notions of “safe” war, emphasizing its unchanging horror through vivid soldier experiences.Technology and SocietyAI in Courtroom (00:41:25 - 00:43:50)Travis finds an AI-generated victim impact statement in an Arizona courtroom alarming, warning of future psychological programming abuses and comparing it to dystopian scenarios.Automotive Industry (Eric Peters Interview)Loss of Driving Freedom (02:06:05 - 02:09:27)Travis and Eric lament the erosion of driving freedom due to regulations, high costs, and police presence. Eric sees an agenda to discourage car ownership, contrasting past affordability with modern constraints.Car Complexity and Debt Cycles (02:12:36 - 02:15:27)Eric and Travis critique modern cars' complexity and planned obsolescence, which trap consumers in debt. They view cars as shackles rather than symbols of freedom, reflecting broader societal control.Authoritarian Aesthetics (02:21:46 - 02:24:48)Eric links bland, uniform car designs to authoritarian ugliness (e.g., East Germany), while Travis mourns homogenized city skylines, both seeing a loss of beauty driven by regulatory and corporate forces.Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHT Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.comIf you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

Cultural and Media CritiquesDisney's Hypocrisy and Cultural Influence (00:06:44 - 00:21:52)Travis exposes Disney's contradictory stance, operating a UAE theme park despite local anti-homosexuality laws while promoting progressive agendas in the U.S. He labels Disney a “grooming syndicate” driven by greed, citing Bob Iger's opposition to Florida's anti-grooming bill and inappropriate content in Star Wars: Andor as evidence of cultural manipulation.Critique of Modern Art and Hollywood (00:24:24 - 00:27:14)Travis denounces Hollywood and modern art for their soulless, ironic output, citing a Luigi Mangione musical as disrespectful. He accuses them of Marxist influences (e.g., Saul Alinsky) and spinelessness, failing to engage reality with depth or sincerity.Encouraging Christian Art (00:30:34 - 00:33:55)Travis calls for Christians to create art to counter demonic cultural influences, praising Doctor Universalis for its depiction of communion and emphasizing self-publishing's accessibility as a tool for cultural resistance.Hollywood's Decline and AI Art (00:36:29 - 00:39:07)Travis attributes Hollywood's decline to satanic influences and corporate control (e.g., BlackRock). He notes AI-generated art replicates vapid content, lacking depth and serving corporate quotas, reflecting a broader cultural decay.Political and Bureaucratic IssuesNew Pope's Background (01:03:09 - 01:06:25)Travis discusses the new American pope, Robert Prevost (Pope Leon XIV), highlighting his opposition to same-sex marriage and gender studies. He criticizes the media's focus on political metrics (e.g., Trump support) over theological substance.China-Russia Alliance (01:39:39 - 01:44:46)Travis warns of Xi Jinping and Putin's alliance to counter Western hegemony, noting their pursuit of power rather than anti-globalism. He predicts escalating U.S. conflict as a result of this geopolitical shift.Bureaucracy's Treason (01:50:50 - 01:54:22)Travis invokes Julien Benda's The Treason of the Clerics to critique intellectuals' political passions, calling Trump weak for failing to confront bureaucratic resistance and questioning his commitment to reform.War and Its ImpactsWar's Brutality in Storm of Steel (01:19:47 - 01:26:39)Travis reflects on Ernst Jünger's Storm of Steel, reading passages about World War I's romanticized yet brutal reality. He rejects notions of “safe” war, emphasizing its unchanging horror through vivid soldier experiences.Technology and SocietyAI in Courtroom (00:41:25 - 00:43:50)Travis finds an AI-generated victim impact statement in an Arizona courtroom alarming, warning of future psychological programming abuses and comparing it to dystopian scenarios.Automotive Industry (Eric Peters Interview)Loss of Driving Freedom (02:06:05 - 02:09:27)Travis and Eric lament the erosion of driving freedom due to regulations, high costs, and police presence. Eric sees an agenda to discourage car ownership, contrasting past affordability with modern constraints.Car Complexity and Debt Cycles (02:12:36 - 02:15:27)Eric and Travis critique modern cars' complexity and planned obsolescence, which trap consumers in debt. They view cars as shackles rather than symbols of freedom, reflecting broader societal control.Authoritarian Aesthetics (02:21:46 - 02:24:48)Eric links bland, uniform car designs to authoritarian ugliness (e.g., East Germany), while Travis mourns homogenized city skylines, both seeing a loss of beauty driven by regulatory and corporate forces.Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHT Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.comIf you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.

Friedrich Merz officially became Chancellor of Germany this week, but only after two rounds of voting in the Bundestag - a first for a new chancellor in postwar German history. His initial failure to clinch the position raises concerns about his leadership, and has Europeans asking whether Germany under Merz can step back into its traditional European leadership role. Katja Hoyer, a historian, journalist and author of Beyond the Wall: A History of East Germany, joins Thanos Davelis as we break down whether Merz is emerging weakened out of the gate, and look into what this means for Europe.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:A Very Rough Start for Germany's New Chancellor MerzMerz is weakened from Day 1. Europe will pay the price.Friedrich Merz becomes Germany's chancellor—after a painful defeatFrance and Germany to set up joint security councilUS lawmakers sound alarm over Turkey's aggressive behavior, urge Trump to confront ErdoganEU sets out possible 95-billion-euro response to US tariffs

The rise of authoritarianism from liberal, capitalist states builds on existing institutions. From goose-stepping totalitarianism to iron-fisted presidents of a banana republic; they're just retooling the factory, not building from scratch. Secret police are a key instrument in every 20th Century example. The USSR had Cheka, Nazis had the Gestapo, East Germany had the Stasi, Ba'athist Syria had the General Intelligence Directorate. A feature of secret police is their targeted repression of opponents, rather than the indiscriminate oppression of populations suspected of anti-regime activities. That brings us to ICE and the use of War on Terror language to frame immigrants as threats to the state, thereby assigning them a criminal status that is then later used as justification to expel them from the US.

Wir springen in dieser Folge ins 19. Jahrhundert. Schauplatz ist Kalifornien, wo nicht nur der Goldrausch die Nachfrage nach widerstandsfähiger Bekleidung in die Höhe schnellen lässt. Wir sprechen darüber, wie ein eigentlich nach europäischen Städten benanntes Material in den USA zu jenem Stoff wurde, der nicht nur die Arbeiterschaft einkleidete, sondern bald zum Symbol für Freiheit, Unangepasstheit und Individualität wurde. // Erwähnte Folgen - GAG475: Eine kleine Geschichte des Anzugs – https://gadg.fm/475 - GAG455: Das Unternehmen Pastorius – https://gadg.fm/455 - GAG228: Berliner Blau – die Erfindung einer Farbe – https://gadg.fm/228 - GAG437: Die holprige Karriere des Reißverschlusses – https://gadg.fm/437 - GAG420: Harry Anslinger und der erste "War on Drugs" – https://gadg.fm/420 // Literatur - Daniel Miller und Sophie Woodward. Blue Jeans: The Art of the Ordinary. University of California Press, 2012. - Downey, Lynn. Levi Strauss: The Man Who Gave Blue Jeans to the World. Illustrated Edition. University of Massachusetts Press, 2017. - Gerd Horten. Don't Need No Thought Control: Western Culture in East Germany and the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Berghahn Books, 2020. - Improvement in fastening pocket-openings. United States US139121A, issued 20. Mai 1873. https://patents.google.com/patent/US139121A/en. - Katherine Pence und Paul Betts. Socialist Modern: East German Everyday Culture and Politics. University of Michigan Press, 2008. - Menzel, Rebecca. „Jeans und Pop in der DDR“, 2006. https://zeitgeschichte-online.de/themen/jeans-und-pop-der-ddr - Plenzdorf, Ulrich. Die Neuen Leiden Des Jungen W. Suhrkamp Verlag, 2015. - Sullivan, James. Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon. New York, NY: Gotham Books, 2007. Das Episodenbild zeigt einen Ausschnitt der Patentzeichnung für die mit Nieten versehenen Taschen. //Aus unserer Werbung Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte: https://linktr.ee/GeschichtenausderGeschichte //Wir haben auch ein Buch geschrieben: Wer es erwerben will, es ist überall im Handel, aber auch direkt über den Verlag zu erwerben: https://www.piper.de/buecher/geschichten-aus-der-geschichte-isbn-978-3-492-06363-0 Wer Becher, T-Shirts oder Hoodies erwerben will: Die gibt's unter https://geschichte.shop Wer unsere Folgen lieber ohne Werbung anhören will, kann das über eine kleine Unterstützung auf Steady oder ein Abo des GeschichteFM-Plus Kanals auf Apple Podcasts tun. Wir freuen uns, wenn ihr den Podcast bei Apple Podcasts oder wo auch immer dies möglich ist rezensiert oder bewertet. Wir freuen uns auch immer, wenn ihr euren Freundinnen und Freunden, Kolleginnen und Kollegen oder sogar Nachbarinnen und Nachbarn von uns erzählt! Du möchtest Werbung in diesem Podcast schalten? Dann erfahre hier mehr über die Werbemöglichkeiten bei Seven.One Audio: https://www.seven.one/portfolio/sevenone-audio

Bayern Munich will travel to East Germany to face off with a very desperate RB Leipzig, who is clawing to its hopes for European football next season. Meanwhile, the Bavarians are seeking to clinch a league title in the house that energy drinks built (figuratively, of course). Let's take a look at what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show: A look at where each team is in the table and also a look back at the first match.A look at the injury and suspension situations for both teams.Why Bayern Munich fans should watch this game — get a closer look at Benjamin Šeško and Xavi Simons. A guess at Bayern Munich's starting XI.A prediction on the match.Be sure to stay tuned to Bavarian Podcast Works for all of your up to date coverage on Bayern Munich and Germany. Check us out on Patreon and follow us on Twitter @BavarianFBWorks, @BavarianPodcast @TheBarrelBlog, @BFWCyler, @IredahlMarcus, @enadmo1135, @TommyAdams71 and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bayern Munich will travel to East Germany to face off with a very desperate RB Leipzig, who is clawing to its hopes for European football next season. Meanwhile, the Bavarians are seeking to clinch a league title in the house that energy drinks built (figuratively, of course). Let's take a look at what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show: A look at where each team is in the table and also a look back at the first match.A look at the injury and suspension situations for both teams.Why Bayern Munich fans should watch this game — get a closer look at Benjamin Šeško and Xavi Simons. A guess at Bayern Munich's starting XI.A prediction on the match.Be sure to stay tuned to Bavarian Podcast Works for all of your up to date coverage on Bayern Munich and Germany. Check us out on Patreon and follow us on Twitter @BavarianFBWorks, @BavarianPodcast @TheBarrelBlog, @BFWCyler, @IredahlMarcus, @enadmo1135, @TommyAdams71 and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early 1950s, East German drivers with their self-built Formula 2 cars, including a mid-engine race car, competed in the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the West German Nürburgring.In this episode, Patrick Henz presents their stories and explains the connection to BMW.

This week, we get to know a little German! The late, great Val Kilmer will be remembered for many things - from “Top Gun” to “Batman Forever” to his kooky but oh-so-charming real-life persona. But this week, we're going back to Val's very first feature film, 1984's “Top Secret!” Kilmer plays an American rock star on a trip through a strange, stuck-in-time version of East Germany. We'll look at real-life inspirations from The Beach Boys, Elvis, Chuck Berry, and more. Plus, we explore some real East German rock bands that we bet you've never heard of.

This episode covers themes of physical and emotional abuse as well as suicide. If you need support please follow the links below. UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ Rest of the World  https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp Kerstin recounts her harrowing childhood and life experiences in East Germany. She was identified at a young age for elite sports training, which led to intense gymnastics regimens, physical and emotional abuse, and state-sponsored doping. When she was dismissed from the sports program without warning she was left isolated and struggling with identity loss. Her personal life deteriorated further after her father's death, and she turned to alcohol and self-destructive behaviour. Despite enduring severe trauma, Kerstin ultimately found healing and reconciliation with her past. She received state compensation for the doping-related damage to her health, repaired her relationship with her mother, and now shares her story to ensure the dark realities of the East German regime are not forgotten. Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode400/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let's Talk - MoviesEpisode 80: Tribute - Val Kilmer - Top Secret! (1984)Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez pay tribute to the late iconic actor Val Kilmer in his first film role as Nick Rivers in the slapstick comedy classic, Top Secret! (1984).Val KilmerBorn: December 31, 1959Died: April 1, 2025 (65)Disclaimer: The first 15 people that listened to this episode also heard E81, which was but mistakenly attached to the file.  It has since been corrected so it was an early preview for those lucky fans!Top Secret! (1984)Synopsis: An American rock and roll singer is invited to a cultural festival in East Germany in order to distract from a plot to destroy NATO submarines, but he accidentally becomes involved in a resistance plot to rescue an imprisoned scientist.Director: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry ZuckerWriter: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Martyn BurkeCinematographer: Christopher ChallisComposer: Maurice JarreCast: Val Kilmer, Omar Shariff, Jeremy Kemp, Warren Clarke, Lucy Gutteridge, Peter Cushing, Jim CarterRecorded: 04-17-24Studio: Just Curious MediaListen:BuzzsproutApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsAmazon MusiciHeartRadioTuneInWatch:YouTubeFollow:FacebookInstagramHosts:Jason ConnellGuest:Sal Rodriguez#justcuriousmedia #letstalkmovies #mrjasonconnell #salvadorlosangeles #cinema #classicmovies #movies #moviereviews #film #filmreviews #studios #producers #directors #writers #actors #moviestars #boxoffice #topsecretSend us a textSupport the show

Chris Gueffroy, was the last person to be shot dead at the Berlin Wall and a new short film called “Whispers of Freedom” portrays his story. I speak with the film's director Brandon Ashplant who shares the challenges of accurately portraying real individuals with deep personal histories. Actors Cameron Ashplant (Chris) and Wendy Makkena (Karin) reflect on research they undertook to authentically represent life in East Germany. The discussion also touches on the emotional impact of visiting key locations including Chris's grave and the site of his death, and the delicate process of obtaining consent from his family to tell this story. Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode399/ Where can I see the film? There's been various updates since we recorded. The trailer has been released and is available on the Golden Goat Films Facebook and Instagram pages (@goldengoatfilms). The World Premier is at the Sunderland Shorts Film Festival at 18:00 on Friday 16th May at the Omniplex, Sunderland. Cast and crew in attendance. So if you are in the area, do join them. The  Canadian premiere is in September at Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) - which makes the film Canadian Screen Award Qualifying, opening up its route to the Academy Awards (if we're lucky enough!) The Guernsey premier is on September 12th and the Berlin premiere is on October 2nd at the DDR Museum. The film will thereafter live at the museum, available for international tourists to watch on an ongoing basis. The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"How they chose this as the art is inexplicable to me; it looks like it's a card from East Germany." -Boomguy In this episode of the Winning Hand Podcast, the hosts discuss various aspects of the Marvel Champions game, including the upcoming Con of Heroes, content creator recommendations, and their favorite hero and aspect pairings for the event. They delve into specific heroes like Drax, Iceman, X23, Captain America, and Nick Fury, sharing insights on deck strategies and personal experiences. The episode concludes with a discussion on the Danger Room card and its lore within the Marvel universe. In this episode, the hosts engage in a lively discussion about the art and mechanics of the Danger Room card from the X-Men card game. They critique the artwork, explore the thematic elements of X-Men mechanics, and evaluate the power and strategy involved in using Danger Room effectively.  Here is the deck Leethus mentioned: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/45910/valkyrie-nibelung-valesti-1.0 Here is the featured content creator: https://www.youtube.com/@MaNemJeff87 Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Winning Hand Podcast 02:48 Content Creator Spotlight: My Name Jeff 06:46 Star-Lord Protection 10:50 Drax Protection 14:41 Iceman Leadership, Protection, and 'Pool? 17:17 X23 and Valkyrie: Powerful Hero Insights 20:21 Captain America: Versatile Strategies 23:22 Nick Fury: The New Spy on the Block 25:20 Vision - Aggression, Protection, and Sidekick? 27:47 Musical Inspirations in Deck Names 29:06 Exploring the Danger Room Card 30:27 The Evolution of the Danger Room 42:11 Thematic Elements of X-Men Support 48:23 Exploring X-Men Cards and Their Themes 54:57 The Experience of Living Card Games 01:00:06 Power and Strategy of Danger Room 01:10:06 Final Thoughts on Danger Room and X-Men Cards 01:18:03 Outro

00:00–15:00 | Technical Glitches & Time Loops Show opens with a classic audio loop error — endless doomscrolling echo chamber. Sam checks his stream while both hosts riff on how great they sound… repeatedly. Quick intro to the show's vibe: “All the facts, all the absurdity, none of the fluff.” Sam shares tour updates (Comedy Store, Tacoma with Eddie Bravo). Banter about recent stand-up in a barn during a tornado — classic Tripoli chaos. 15:00–30:00 | Ant Skull Warfare & Divine Evolution Wheel of Doom lands on a wild story: Florida ants using skulls for protection. Field ants decapitate trap-jaw ants, decorating their nest to scare off raiders. Discussion of how this behavior counters slave-ant colonies. Existential thoughts: Sam: “You worried about AI? How about skull ants?” Deep reflection on evolution and divine intelligence. 30:00–45:00 | Poop-Tok & Attractive Constipation Talk Sam and Mike react to a viral hot girl explaining poop types. Play-by-play of various stool shapes and what they mean health-wise. Hilarious male perspective: “We'll tolerate poop talk if she's hot enough.” Debate over whether women poop, followed by a comedy store bathroom scent analysis. 45:00–60:00 | Molossia: America's Mini Nation They dive into the micronation of Molossia in Nevada. Run by a self-declared dictator, uses cookie dough-backed currency. Still at war with East Germany — even though it doesn't exist. Thoughts on secession: States like Texas, California, Oregon brought up. Mike and Sam oppose balkanization — “Together we're stronger.” 60:00–75:00 | Gladiator Rats & Feral Cats Story: a Birmingham cat forcing captured rats to fight to the death. Winner lives, loser gets eaten. Sam talks about living with a dominating cat that terrifies everyone. Mike references cat mysticism and their reincarnation lore. 75:00–90:00 | Indian Death Rides, Empires & Stephen King Killed Lennon?! Insane carnival ride footage from India sparks a reincarnation joke fest. “India is not for beginners” — hilarious back-and-forth on danger rides. Conspiracy spotlight: A guy claims Stephen King killed John Lennon. Sam & Mike consider doing a deep dive on that theory. “If you don't care about that, you deserve an asteroid strike.”   Watch Full Episodes on Sam's channels: - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SamTripoli - Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/SamTripoli Sam Tripoli: Tin Foil Hat Podcast Website: SamTripoli.com Twitter: https://x.com/samtripoli Midnight Mike: The OBDM Podcast Website: https://ourbigdumbmouth.com/ Twitter: https://x.com/obdmpod Doom Scrollin' Telegram: https://t.me/+La3v2IUctLlhYWUx Naked Gardener Tea: https://www.thenakedgardener.us/store

Filmmaker Carl Bessai and actor Vincent Gale are legends of the Vancouver screen scene. These two legends have worked together before – Vincent was nominated for a Leo Award for his work in Carl's iconic comedy-drama Fathers & Sons – and their latest collaboration, Field Sketches, screens at VIFF Centre on April 12 and 14 as part of National Canadian Film Week.Carl mined his own life and family history for Field Sketches. Vincent stars as Peter, a middle-aged architect whose business and personal life are imploding. With nothing left to hold him in the city, Peter decides to move to his family farm and spend the winter in Saskatchewan. He soon discovers that pioneer life is much more than he bargained for. And the silence and loneliness play tricks on his imagination. Field Sketches takes its characters and audiences from a gorgeous mid-century modern home in Vancouver, to Peter's rustic family farm in Saskatchewan (played by Carl's family farm), and into the past, to East Germany (played by Berlin). The result is a singular piece of art that is rich with surprises, fleeting and impactful beauty, and insight into what it means to age as an artist, an immigrant, and the descendent of immigrants. In this fascinating conversation, Carl and Vincent reflect on their journey with Field Sketches, and how their own experiences with art align with Peter's journey.Episode sponsor: Directors Guild Of Canada, BC District Council

  On this episode of Unsupervised Learning, Razib talks to Graeme Wood. Wood is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he usually covers geopolitics and international affairs. His work ranges from a profile of Richard Spencer, the American white nationalist public figure with whom he went to high school with, to the Islamic State. He is the author of The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State. Wood grew up in Dallas, Texas, and graduated from Harvard College. He also studied at the American University in Cairo, Indiana University and Deep Springs College. Today Razib talks to Wood about his piece in The Atlantic, Germany's Anti-Extremist Firewall Is Collapsing. Wood addresses the economic malaise of contemporary Germany, in particular, the former East Germany, and how that is impacting the national cultural climate. More concretely, they consider why the right-wing Alternative For Deutschland (AFD) party is so popular, and its transformation from an anti-EU party to an anti-migrant party. Wood emphasizes that Germany has become a highly polarized society when it comes to ethnicities, with very cosmopolitan cities, but small towns in rural eastern provinces where he recalls feeling like possibly the only non-white face at the local beer hall (his father is a white American while his mother is ethnically Chinese). Razib muses whether German multiculturalism as an ideology has allowed for more, not less racism, while Wood reflects on his multi-decade experience visiting the nation as an outsider.

I speak with Jon Benjamin who recounts his meetings with Margot Honecker, the unrepentant architect of East Germany's education system and widow of GDR leader Erich Honecker then living in exile in Chile. In 2012 and 2013, when Jon was British Ambassador to Chile, he had three long meetings with Margot Honecker, third wife of longtime East German leader, Erich Honecker, and Minister of Education of the German Democratic Republik (GDR) in her own right from 1963 to 1989. You can read more about his meetings at History Reclaimed here Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode394 The fight to keep Cold War history alive continues, and with your support, I can ensure these incredible stories are never forgotten. A simple monthly or annual donation gives me the resources to continue uncovering and sharing the untold history of this fascinating era. As a valued supporter, you'll become part of our exclusive community, enjoy ad-free episodes, and receive the coveted CWC coaster as a token of my appreciation. Plus, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're playing a vital role in preserving Cold War history for future generations. Join us now at: https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Prefer a one-time contribution? Every bit helps! You can make a one-off donation at the same link. Thank you for keeping Cold War history alive! Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join us on this incredible episode of the Connect Podcast as Pastor Cole Phillips sits down with special guest Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy turned devoted follower of Jesus. Jack shares his extraordinary journey—from growing up as an atheist in communist East Germany, through years of undercover espionage in America, to his surprising and transformative encounter with God's grace. Listen in as Jack reveals the moments and people God strategically placed in his life, guiding him out of darkness and skepticism into a vibrant Christian faith. Whether you're wrestling with doubt, fascinated by redemption stories, or simply love a remarkable tale of transformation, this conversation will remind you that no one is beyond God's reach.

Join us on this incredible episode of the Connect Podcast as Pastor Cole Phillips sits down with special guest Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy turned devoted follower of Jesus. Jack shares his extraordinary journey—from growing up as an atheist in communist East Germany, through years of undercover espionage in America, to his surprising and transformative encounter with God's grace. Listen in as Jack reveals the moments and people God strategically placed in his life, guiding him out of darkness and skepticism into a vibrant Christian faith. Whether you're wrestling with doubt, fascinated by redemption stories, or simply love a remarkable tale of transformation, this conversation will remind you that no one is beyond God's reach.

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

We've been visiting with Hans Shapp, who's been sharing with us how he came out of East Germany in the ‘70's, when barriers of barbed wire and concrete walls blocked off the West, to what he thought was a newfound freedom. But not until he was introduced to Jesus as his Lord and Savior did his life really change!

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was the frontline in the Cold War, packed with hundreds of thousands of Soviet and East German troops armed with the latest Warsaw Pact equipment, lined up along the 1,400 km Inner German Border. However, because of the repressive East German police state, little human intelligence about these forces reached the West. Who were they? Where were they located? What were they doing? How were they equipped? What were their intentions? NATO was lined up in West Germany to face these forces and relied on getting up-to-date intelligence to warn of any threat, 'Indicators of Hostility' that could be a precursor to an invasion. BRIXMIS, the British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, was on hand to provide that intelligence. Thanks to an obscure 1946 agreement between the British and Soviets that established 'liaison missions' in their respective zones of occupation, the British were able to send highly qualified military 'observers' into East Germany to roam (relatively) freely and keep an eye on what was going on. What started as 'liaison', a point of contact between the British and Soviet occupation forces, developed into a very sophisticated intelligence gathering operation, sending 'tours' out every day of the year, between 1946 and when the Mission closed in 1990. Andrew Long's BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War: Intelligence Collection Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (Pen and Sword History, 2024) tells the story about these top-secret liaison tours.  These tours were undertaken in high-performance, highly modified marked vehicles, with personnel in uniform and unarmed, apart from professional photographic equipment and occasionally some top-secret gadgets from the boffins back in the UK. They joined their French and American colleagues in snooping around the opposition, photographing military bases, equipment, and manoeuvres, and trying to evade capture by the secret police and counterintelligence units. They faced danger and violence daily, but thanks to their bravery and professionalism, the West had accurate and up to date information on what was happening in East Germany which help keep the peace all that time. This is the story of this little-known unit and their exploits behind enemy lines. Andrew Long, from Great Britain, is a military history researcher and author. His fascination with the Cold War began with a trip to West Berlin in 1986, traveling through Checkpoint Charlie to visit the East. Andrew's writing comes from a desire to make sense of an extremely complex period in modern history, weaving together inter-relating stories involving politics, ideologies, personalities, technological advances, and geography. There is still much to be told on this fascinating subject. After a successful career in marketing, Andrew relocated to Cornwall and took up writing full time. Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar whose research areas are related to Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, military history, War studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, as well as Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

If integration is straightforward how is it that the former East Germany is so different ideologically from the former West Germany?

Tom has returned from his sojourn to East Germany to regale David with the tales of his travels & soccer stardom. Now that Tom is back they dig into the big storylines of the weekend, they talk about the USOC matches they're most looking forward to, and they preview the upcoming USMNT & CANMNT Nations League semifinals.2:08 Tom's Germany Trip12:00 Vancouvers Perfect Start26:00 Miami's Depth This Year34:18 San Diego vs Columbus Soccerfest42:22 USOC Round 1 Preview51:00 USMNT CNL Preview1:03:30 CANMNT CNL Preview Soccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

Ron Mitori's new book, “” looks to the past and to the future as the U.S. position in the world evolves. His book starts off with stories of personal experiences under socialist regimes. One story, of Lore and her family begins: “Lore's father had been a successful inventor and businessman who owned a factory that produced household goods during WWII. He was also part of the underground movement that did not support Hitler. Lore had lived with her parents and two sisters in a section of Germany that became East Germany. She wanted to study and become an archaeologist as a child, but war can change your dreams. At the war's end, that area was administered brutally by the East German police, and a wall was built separating East from West Germany. As the oldest, Lore went to live for almost three years with her grandparents because they could get a food ration card if they had a child in the house.” Another story from : “Venezuela was the wealthiest country in South America. Pablo was born there, and his father was a very successful lawyer. Pablo's cousin fled from Communist Cuba ruled by Fidel Castro to Venezuela to be near him and his family and escape Communism. One year later in 1999, Hugo Chavez became the leader of Venezuela and began dismantling the capitalism that made the country wealthy with a thriving middle class. That cousin realized he had seen this “movie” before in Cuba and wanted no part in it. He decided to leave after only one year in Venezuela. He convinced Pablo to join him and come to the US, but Pablo's father mistakenly thought his status and wealth would continue, so he remained. Pablo now sends money to him every month to keep him from starving.”. Looking back and looking forward, Ron sees the U.S. at a cross roads. Which way will we go? Read his book for a remarkable tour de force of our country's ongoing evolution.   Subscribers can enjoy extended conversations from this podcast. To subscribe, go to BumpInTheRoad.Substack.com     What they're saying:   “This is a beautiful book about life, its imperfections, its challenges, and its joys. It is a book of hope and wisdom for all of us facing a bump in the road.” –Pragito Dove   “Pat has woven together beautiful stories of life setbacks that have been transformed into spiritual growth. This book is a gift and a must-read for souls experiencing pain and yearning for growth.”   –Gary Hensel   Learn more at   Follow Bump on: ➡️  ➡️  ➡️  ➡️  ➡️   

This episode is part 4 in our series with Joe McMoneagle.   Joe was a US Army intelligence veteran already before he was chosen to be a part of the psychic intelligence unit at Fort Meade, Maryland, in 1978. He became known as “Remote Viewer No. 1″ within Project Stargate. Project Stargate was the United States' first organized research into psychic phenomena via the Defense Intelligence Agency and contractor SRI International. He is an author and also founder of Intuitive Intelligence Applications Inc. Today, he also teaches Remote Viewing at The Monroe Institute, a leading center in exploring human consciousness. We continue to follow Joe in the deep-end of his experiences. We start with telepathy and lying, language as an inhibitor and a protector, an incredible near death experience in East Germany, love v empathy, a life review and remembering, heaven and hell, being shards of a whole, more out of body experiences, losing the fear of death and dying, and reaching more people who are suffering. “As living entities what we are is perhaps the grand engineer or the architect of reality trying to understand what it is.” 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:19 Telepathy Before Language 00:03:55 Telepathy Tapes 00:10:38 The Link Between Autism and Telepathy 00:12:50 Joe's Near Death Experience - "Which One?" 00:31:55 The Cause of Death in the Near Death Experience 00:40:09 What Exists After Death 00:48:12 Could Humans Just Be Shards of a Larger Being? 00:53:07 What Deja Vu Is 00:58:38 Continuous Learning 01:06:40 Fixing Anaesthesia Complications with Coca-Cola? See here other previous guests mentioned:  - Dr. Diane Hennacy re telepathy (ep 113) https://behindgreatness.org/episode/dr-diane-hennacy/ - Natalie Sudman re NDE (ep 97) https://behindgreatness.org/episode/breaking-down-our-beliefs/ Previous episodes/discussions on Behind Greatness with Remote Viewers: Russell Targ (ep 80) – Co-Founder, SRI Institute https://youtu.be/7Gw3fIFI73k Courtney Brown (ep 131) https://youtu.be/_jCZzPgdzcM Stephan A. Schwartz (ep 155) https://youtu.be/0E6jhiMd7Dk Stephan A. Schwartz (ep 156) https://youtu.be/VATz-Y59UiY Lyn Buchanan (ep 163) https://youtu.be/K2Ig3C88BxQ Nancy DuTertre (ep 167) https://behindgreatness.org/episode/nancy-du-tertre/ Paul H. Smith (ep 180) https://behindgreatness.org/episode/dr-paul-h-smith/ Joe McMoneagle:  - Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Joseph-McMoneagle/author/B00MD24CZW?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5&qid=1728261714&sr=1-5&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true - Parapsychological Association: https://www.parapsych.org/users/jmcmoneagle/profile.aspx - Monroe Institute: https://www.monroeinstitute.org/pages/trainer-joe-mcmoneagle - IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2140996/ Listen to Behind Greatness: - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/67B5chxVFze3EWUgs9iPJg - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-greatness-by-inspire-north/id1511953342 To give to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here (as a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors): https://behindgreatness.org

On our last podcast, Hans Shapp told of his life growing up behind the wall in East Germany during the 60's and 70's under Communist rule; and then suddenly being deported to the West. It was like a child having free run in a candy shop. Neon lights glowed in the night skies. Music blared out from the discotheques. Drugs and alcohol were widely available. Did any of this bring Hans happiness, peace, or freedom? 

German producer & multi-instrumentalist Aukai, aka Markus Sieber, grew up in the former East Germany, but his travels have taken him through Latin America, and he is now based in Colorado. "Aukai" is a Hawaiian term for a seafaring traveler, and on 2018 record, Branches of Sun, he has captured a certain nomadic wanderlust which might connect a listener to a certain peace of being in nature, high in the mountains. With an ensemble that centers on the South American ronroco, a kind of mandolin-like lute, (“the bigger brother of the charango”), harp, violin, percussion and electronics, Aukai and Ensemble perform some of his electro-acoustic creations, in the studio. (From the Archives, 2018.) Watch the complete live session:

                                     REVOLUTION!                           Phase One - Trump/Zelensky                The Black Spy Podcast, Season 19, Episode 0004   The Trump/Zelensky debacle in the Oval Office, showed as clearly, as did the Vietnam or Afghanistan end of US engagement optics did, that the United states has ended its adventure in the Ukraine. However, in addition to just this sign that an incoming President wanted to divest himself of a losing, frankly unwinnable war, President Trump is showing a true revolutionary zeal to change the whole US military, industrial and congressional complex. Now transactional business and not secret intelligence driven covert and overt warfare is no longer the preferred model to retain US world-wide hegemony. At least not with a military pier equivalent nation. Russia's "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine, initiated in February 2022, has been framed by the Kremlin as a response to various historical and geopolitical factors. One narrative emphasizes the presence of far-right elements in Ukraine, drawing connections to nationalist groups active during World War II. However, although most western experts reject the portrayal of Ukraine as a neo-Nazi state, noting that while far-right groups exist, they do not hold significant influence in the government or military, they nevertheless have little to say about such far right units killing 14,000 Russian heritaged Ukrainian civilian citizens since 2016. In the early stages of the Cold War, Western intelligence agencies, including the CIA and MI6, reportedly collaborated with former Ukrainian nationalist fighters to undermine Soviet authority. These covert operations aimed to exploit anti-Soviet sentiments. This lasted 10 years and saw the reported death of up to a 100,000 Soviet Citizens. In the end though, it has been stated by the west, that this had limited long-term impact. The 2014 Maidan uprising, which led to the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian president, is viewed by Russia as a Western-backed coup that shifted Ukraine towards Euro-Atlantic integration. This assertion is backed up by Sigint in which, Victoria Nuland, the officer in charge of Eastern Europe in the US State Department discussing which Ukrainian's leaders should or shouldn't rule the country with the American Ambassador to the Ukraine The recording ends with Nuland saying she'll have president Biden slap the person they chose to lead Ukraine on the back when they take power! NATO's eastward expansion since 1991 has been perceived by Russia as a direct threat to its security interests. Despite assurances in the 1990s about limiting NATO's growth, to not one inch outside of the then East Germany, the alliance has incorporated several Eastern European countries, heightening tensions, as it attempted to incorporate the Ukraine. The Minsk agreements, brokered by Germany and France, aimed to cease hostilities in Eastern Ukraine. Critics argue that, rather than fostering peace, these accords allowed Ukraine to strengthen its military capabilities, which was confirmed by both the German Chancellor Merkel and French President Holland after they left office. This act intensifying conflicts in regions with significant Russian-speaking populations, such as Donbas and Crimea. In summary, President Trump appeared to validate everything that Russia has hitherto stated is its reason for military actions in Ukraine. The Oval Office statements of President Trump and administration seemed to agree with the justification previously articulated by the Kremlin through a complex interplay of historical grievances, security concerns over NATO's expansion, and perceptions of Western interference in Ukraine's political trajectory meaning their is now little dispute between the US' causes for war and Russia's. As Trump continually states, there would have been no war if he were president! As always, please don't be afraid to contact us and put any questions you might have to any of the Black Spy Podcast team concerning this or any other of our fascinating subjects. And, if you want to continue learning whilst being entertained, please don't forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Dr. Rachel Taylor please use her Substack account. To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” he incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent”

East Central Europe Since 1989 (Routledge, 2025)  examines politics, economics, media, religious institutions, transitional justice, gender inequality, and literature, highlighting the overt functions, latent functions, and side effects associated with each sphere. Communism in East Central Europe had cracks from the beginning, as uprisings in East Germany in 1953 and Hungary in 1956 demonstrated. But with the establishment of the Independent Trade Union Solidarity in Poland in the Summer of 1980, communism went into steady decline and, between 1988 and 1991, crumbled. What followed has been an unsteady transition to various forms of often corrupt pluralism with democracy doing best in the Czech Republic (with the exception of the years 2017-2021) and Slovenia, and worst in Hungary, Albania, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. This volume will be of interest not only to specialists in East Central Europe but also to graduate and undergraduate students, members of the diplomatic corps, and general readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

East Central Europe Since 1989 (Routledge, 2025)  examines politics, economics, media, religious institutions, transitional justice, gender inequality, and literature, highlighting the overt functions, latent functions, and side effects associated with each sphere. Communism in East Central Europe had cracks from the beginning, as uprisings in East Germany in 1953 and Hungary in 1956 demonstrated. But with the establishment of the Independent Trade Union Solidarity in Poland in the Summer of 1980, communism went into steady decline and, between 1988 and 1991, crumbled. What followed has been an unsteady transition to various forms of often corrupt pluralism with democracy doing best in the Czech Republic (with the exception of the years 2017-2021) and Slovenia, and worst in Hungary, Albania, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. This volume will be of interest not only to specialists in East Central Europe but also to graduate and undergraduate students, members of the diplomatic corps, and general readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

East Central Europe Since 1989 (Routledge, 2025)  examines politics, economics, media, religious institutions, transitional justice, gender inequality, and literature, highlighting the overt functions, latent functions, and side effects associated with each sphere. Communism in East Central Europe had cracks from the beginning, as uprisings in East Germany in 1953 and Hungary in 1956 demonstrated. But with the establishment of the Independent Trade Union Solidarity in Poland in the Summer of 1980, communism went into steady decline and, between 1988 and 1991, crumbled. What followed has been an unsteady transition to various forms of often corrupt pluralism with democracy doing best in the Czech Republic (with the exception of the years 2017-2021) and Slovenia, and worst in Hungary, Albania, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. This volume will be of interest not only to specialists in East Central Europe but also to graduate and undergraduate students, members of the diplomatic corps, and general readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

The road to the TRUMPIAN revolution (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast, Season 19, Episode 0003   Russia's "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine, initiated in February 2022, has been framed by the Kremlin as a response to various historical and geopolitical factors. One narrative emphasizes the presence of far-right elements in Ukraine, drawing connections to nationalist groups active during World War II. However, although most western experts reject the portrayal of Ukraine as a neo-Nazi state, noting that while far-right groups exist, they do not hold significant influence in the government or military, they nevertheless have little to say about such far right units killing 14,000 Russian heritaged Ukrainian civilian citizens since 2016. In the early stages of the Cold War, Western intelligence agencies, including the CIA and MI6, reportedly collaborated with former Ukrainian nationalist fighters to undermine Soviet authority. These covert operations aimed to exploit anti-Soviet sentiments. This lasted 10 years and saw the reported death of up to a 100,000 Soviet Citizens. In the end though, it has been stated by the west, that this had limited long-term impact. The 2014 Maidan uprising, which led to the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian president, is viewed by Russia as a Western-backed coup that shifted Ukraine towards Euro-Atlantic integration. This assertion is backed up by Sigint in which, Victoria Nuland, the officer in charge of Eastern Europe in the US State Department discussing which Ukrainian's leaders should or shouldn't rule the country with the American Ambassador to the Ukraine The recording ends with Nuland saying she'll have president Biden slap the person they chose to lead Ukraine on the back when they take power! NATO's eastward expansion since 1991 has been perceived by Russia as a direct threat to its security interests. Despite assurances in the 1990s about limiting NATO's growth, to not one inch outside of the then East Germany, the alliance has incorporated several Eastern European countries, heightening tensions, as it attempted to incorporate the Ukraine. The Minsk agreements, brokered by Germany and France, aimed to cease hostilities in Eastern Ukraine. Critics argue that, rather than fostering peace, these accords allowed Ukraine to strengthen its military capabilities, which was confirmed by both the German Chancellor Merkel and French President Holland after they left office. This act intensifying conflicts in regions with significant Russian-speaking populations, such as Donbas and Crimea. In summary, Russia's military actions in Ukraine are justified by the Kremlin through a complex interplay of historical grievances, security concerns over NATO's expansion, and perceptions of Western interference in Ukraine's political trajectory. However, many of these justifications have been contested by Western leaders, officials and the western mainstream mass media albeit now, President Trump is accepting that all of Russia's grievances are indeed TRUE! As always, please don't be afraid to contact us and put any questions you might have to any of the Black Spy Podcast team concerning this or any other of our fascinating subjects. And, if you want to continue learning whilst being entertained, please don't forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Dr. Rachel Taylor please use her Substack account. To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent”

How would you like to live behind what you call the Iron Curtain...? It's the height of the cold war. Hitch swaps his nationless networks of mysterious criminals for a far more real-world one: East Germany and the Russians. It's also a different era of Hollywood that's starting to emerge, actors like Julie Andrews and Paul Newman who expect to have much more of a say on set than the contract actors of the past. So, will Al adapt with the times? We watch and find out!

This week Hackaday Editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi start things off with updates on the rapidly approaching Hackaday Europe and the saga of everyone's favorite 3D printed boat. From there they'll cover an impressive method of seeing the world via WiFi, Amazon's latest changes to the Kindle ecosystem, and an alternate reality in which USB didn't take over the peripheral world. You'll also hear about a multi-level hack that brings the joys of Linux into the world of Animal Crossing, 3D printed circuit components, and the imminent release of KiCAD 9. Stick around until the end to learn about a unique hardened glass from East Germany and the disappointing reality of modern voice control systems.

Did you know that Helmut Kohl, the German Chancellor (1982-99), implemented a planto deport Turkish immigrant back to Türkiye?Mr. Elon Musk & Vice Pres. JD Vance have endorsed the AfD - Germany's anti-immigrant, Islamophobic, far-right party. And although the AfD commands 20% of the German vote, other parties refuse to form a coalition government with it. In this interview, I discuss the following with my guest: ►Germany's economic headwinds and growing budget challenges ►the rise of the AfD in German elections►Why is the AfD being investigated by German authorities? ►What is JAfD? ►How Germany's unification was more like an acquisition than a merger ►For Germans, does the Berlin Wall still exist? ►Roots of racism in East Germany compared to West Germany►Was the post-WWII de-Nazification a success? ►What is PEGIDA? ►Which ethnic groups commit the most crime in Germany? ►Who is Gerhard Rex Lauck? ►How did America export Nazi propaganda back to Germany? ►What is Ausländer? ►What was Helmut Kohl's plan for exporting Turks? ►Why were Turks called "guest" workers? ►What is Almanci?

From the BBC World Service: Opposition politicians in Argentina want to impeach President Javier Milei after a short-lived promotion of an obscure cryptocurrency caused investors to lose thousands of dollars. We’ll hear more. Plus, Russia and the U.S. are meeting in Saudi Arabia for their first direct talks designed to end the war in Ukraine. And, we’ll learn how a lack of investment in Germany’s infrastructure has affected one town in East Germany.

From the BBC World Service: Opposition politicians in Argentina want to impeach President Javier Milei after a short-lived promotion of an obscure cryptocurrency caused investors to lose thousands of dollars. We’ll hear more. Plus, Russia and the U.S. are meeting in Saudi Arabia for their first direct talks designed to end the war in Ukraine. And, we’ll learn how a lack of investment in Germany’s infrastructure has affected one town in East Germany.

On today's episode, intellectual historian Thomas Stock discusses his paper "Polyphonic Peace: The 1989 World Festival of Youth and Students in Pyongyang," which explores North Korea's hosting of the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students. This massive event, which brought together 15,000 young people from over 150 countries, was North Korea's attempt to counter South Korea's global influence after the 1988 Olympics and reinforce its ideological authority. The episode also delves into East Germany's key role, the festival's propaganda impact and its significance in North Korea's rivalry with South Korea. Dr Thomas Stock is an intellectual historian of Korea and the Cold War, specialized in the evolution of North Korean ideology. He is currently a history teacher in Massachusetts, USA. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Alan Minskoff discuss an exceptional audiobook from Bernhard Schlink.  Both Richard Burnip and Sarah Moule are fine narrators who perform with an impeccable tempo, pace, and cadence. The mysterious plot concerns a Berlin bookseller, Kaspar, who engineered his wife Birgit's escape from East Germany 40 years earlier. After her death, Kaspar finds her memoir, which reveals she had given birth to a daughter. His relationship with his ultra-nationalist granddaughter occupies much of the second half of the story. Schlink masterfully reveals the complexity of a reunified Germany.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Stasi used blackmail, intimidation, and imprisonment, as well as psychological manipulation, to target perceived dissidents. By the time the organisation's activities ended following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Stasi was regarded as one of the most effective intelligence agencies of the Cold War ...