Capital of Spies: Intelligence Agencies in Berlin During the Cold War

Capital of Spies examines intelligence operations in Berlin during the Cold War, from 1945 to 1990. The city served as the primary theater for espionage between NATO and Warsaw Pact secret services. German spies were integral to operations on both sides, including those working for Erich Mielke's Stasi and Reinhard Gehlen's Federal Intelligence Service. Espionage was woven into daily life in both East and West Berlin throughout this period. The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 transformed the political landscape and espionage environment, making the invisible front of Cold War conflict visible and concrete. However, the fundamental nature of intelligence work remained unchanged. Berlin continued to function as the center of Cold War espionage until the wall's fall in 1990. Journalist Sven Felix Kellerhoff and historian Bernd von Kostka document the significant successes and failures of the various secret services operating in the city, drawing on photographs and primary sources.