Seduced by Secrets

Seduced by Secrets is an expose of the secret world of one of the most feared spy agencies in history. Revealed, for the first time, are the technical methods and sources of the Stasi (East German Ministry for State Security) as it stole secrets from abroad and spied on its own people. The book draws on classified files from the Stasi archives, including CIA-acquired material, interviews, and court documents to demonstrate that the Stasi overestimated the power of secrets and created an insular spy culture more intent on securing its power than protecting national security. It recreates the Stasi's hidden world of spy technology through biographies of agents, defectors, and officers, and by visualizing James Bond-like techniques and gadgets. In this highly original book, Macrakis adds a new dimension to our understanding of the East German Ministry for State Security in espionage history.