In 1982 the East German Ministry for State Security is hunting for creative new weapons in the war against the class enemy – and their solution is stranger than fiction. Rather than guns, tanks, or bombs, the Stasi develop a programme to fight capitalism through rhyme and verse, winning the culture war through poetry – and the result is the most bizarre book club in history.

I speak with Philip Oltermann the author of The Stasi Poetry Circle. Philip has used unseen archival material and exclusive interviews with surviving members to tell the incredible hidden story of a unique experiment: weaponising poetry for politics. 

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I am delighted to welcome Philip Oltermann to our Cold War conversation…

Book giveaway and further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode223/

0:00 Introduction with Philip Oltermann

6:09 Discussion on GDR's policies towards arts and culture

13:22 The Stasi's involvement with writing circles and their shift in approach

21:01 Role of poetry and culture as a weapon in the Cold War

28:37 The story of Annegret Gollin and Stasi's fear of subversive literature

34:57 Stasi's recruitment process and the impact on Annegret Gollin.

39:03 Introduction to Alexander Ruika, a talented poet and spy

44:27 Discussion on the fear of nuclear war in the 1980s

49:39 Introduction to Uwe Berger, the teacher of the Stasi poetry circle

57:43 The decline of the GDR and impact on the writing circle

1:02:13 Book giveaway announcement

1:03:12 Acknowledgement of the podcast's patrons and promotion of the Facebook group

1:06:03 Closing remarks and promotion of the podcast's store

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Radio GDR

If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.

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