Book Review - Seduced by Secrets: Inside the Stasi's Spy-Tech World by Kristie Macrakis
Category Book Review Seduced by Secrets: Inside the Stasi's Spy-Tech World Kristie Macrakis
Seduced by Secrets: Inside the Stasi's Spy-Tech World by Kristie Macrakis takes you back to the Cold War era when East and West were constantly trying to steal each other's secrets. She was given access to many of the East German archive files related to their espionage organization, the Stasi. While not necessarily a "can't put it down" read, it does take you behind the scenes of what and how spying worked back then.
Contents:
Part 1 - High-Tech: Agent Gorbachev; Stealing Secrets; Hero, Traitor, Playboy, Spy; The Crown Jewels; "Kid" and "Paul"; The Computer Fiasco
Part 2 - Spy-Tech: James Bond, Communist-Style; Communicating Secrets; Secret Writing Revealed; Eye Spy; Big Ears; Smell Science; Spy Dust
Notes on Archival Sources; Notes; Index
Macrakis lived in Berlin in the mid-1980's and experienced the events that led to German reunification. In 1998-99, she decided to do more research into the subject of Eastern Germany espionage at a level not usually granted. From the archives, interviews, and other sources, she was able to peel away much of the Hollywood stereotypes that cloud our understanding. Given that she's a professor of history, she could have turned the book into a dry recitation of facts, figures, and reporting. Instead, she tries to weave those facts into context by looking at some of the real spies of that time, showing how the technology of the time influenced the way they carried out their roles. For instance, the "Agent Gorbachev" chapter follows a real spy, Hans Rehder, as he passed industrial secrets from his West German employer over to his handlers. The fact he did so for 28 years without raising any suspicions shows how East Germany (and in most cases the Soviet Union) were able to keep up with the West without bankrupting their economies. Payments for these secrets were determined by how much money it would save the country by not having to do the research themselves. There were no Googles out there to search and no networks to hack into.
For those who prefer to read about the "spy toys", Part 2 is very interesting (it was my favorite part). Macrakis found files showing the science behind invisible ink formulas, listening devices, and visual surveillance. The Stasi even went so far as to capture the "smells" of dissidents, using yellow cloths that were vacuum-packed in jars. These smells were used by search dogs to find and track certain people when necessary. I'll admit that was the first time I had ever heard of governments tracking people by smell. You could think of it as the precursor to DNA tracking. :)
Overall, Seduced by Secrets was an interesting read. Had it not been for some of her stories of real spies, the book would have turned into a long, dry dissertation of facts, statistics, and events. Conversely, had she tried to turn it into a novel based on her research, it would have lost much of the scholarly value that she put into it. For a general audience (like me), it is an interesting look into espionage. For researchers, it's a gold mine of detail.
Seduced by Secrets: Inside the Stasi's Spy-Tech World by Kristie Macrakis takes you back to the Cold War era when East and West were constantly trying to steal each other's secrets. She was given access to many of the East German archive files related to their espionage organization, the Stasi. While not necessarily a "can't put it down" read, it does take you behind the scenes of what and how spying worked back then.
Contents:
Part 1 - High-Tech: Agent Gorbachev; Stealing Secrets; Hero, Traitor, Playboy, Spy; The Crown Jewels; "Kid" and "Paul"; The Computer Fiasco
Part 2 - Spy-Tech: James Bond, Communist-Style; Communicating Secrets; Secret Writing Revealed; Eye Spy; Big Ears; Smell Science; Spy Dust
Notes on Archival Sources; Notes; Index
Macrakis lived in Berlin in the mid-1980's and experienced the events that led to German reunification. In 1998-99, she decided to do more research into the subject of Eastern Germany espionage at a level not usually granted. From the archives, interviews, and other sources, she was able to peel away much of the Hollywood stereotypes that cloud our understanding. Given that she's a professor of history, she could have turned the book into a dry recitation of facts, figures, and reporting. Instead, she tries to weave those facts into context by looking at some of the real spies of that time, showing how the technology of the time influenced the way they carried out their roles. For instance, the "Agent Gorbachev" chapter follows a real spy, Hans Rehder, as he passed industrial secrets from his West German employer over to his handlers. The fact he did so for 28 years without raising any suspicions shows how East Germany (and in most cases the Soviet Union) were able to keep up with the West without bankrupting their economies. Payments for these secrets were determined by how much money it would save the country by not having to do the research themselves. There were no Googles out there to search and no networks to hack into.
For those who prefer to read about the "spy toys", Part 2 is very interesting (it was my favorite part). Macrakis found files showing the science behind invisible ink formulas, listening devices, and visual surveillance. The Stasi even went so far as to capture the "smells" of dissidents, using yellow cloths that were vacuum-packed in jars. These smells were used by search dogs to find and track certain people when necessary. I'll admit that was the first time I had ever heard of governments tracking people by smell. You could think of it as the precursor to DNA tracking. :)
Overall, Seduced by Secrets was an interesting read. Had it not been for some of her stories of real spies, the book would have turned into a long, dry dissertation of facts, statistics, and events. Conversely, had she tried to turn it into a novel based on her research, it would have lost much of the scholarly value that she put into it. For a general audience (like me), it is an interesting look into espionage. For researchers, it's a gold mine of detail.