"Men Without Faces?" – Heads of the Secret Services during the Cold War
After 1945, espionage and counter-espionage grew in importance worldwide. The intelligence services expanded and states sought out suitable personnel. Whilst some drew on experienced intelligence officers, others built their services almost from scratch.
Image gallery
Die Kaderakte Markus Wolf
In the fledgling GDR, the then 28-year-old journalist Markus Wolf was one of the founders of foreign espionage, which he headed for 34 years.
Drawing on Markus Wolf’s personnel file, intelligence expert Prof. Dr Wolfgang Krieger and Prof. Dr Daniela Münkel, head of the research department at the Stasi Records Archive, discuss the emergence of intelligence services, the selection of their personnel and their role in the Cold War.
In the sample file collection at the Stasi Records Archive, visitors to the exhibition ‘Einblick ins Geheime’ can read unabridged and faithfully reproduced Stasi files. One of the sample files on display there is Markus Wolf’s personnel file.
Please register at einblick-ins-geheime@bundesarchiv.de
- In the run-up to the event, there will be an opportunity to take part in a guided tour of the Stasi Records Archive at 5.00 pm.
Additional information
Dates
November 2026
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