Section 7: Room 107 & 108

Rundgang 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
A glimpse inside the Stasi´s counterfeiting and disguise workshops

In order to keep tabs on “negative hostile elements”, the Stasi developed extensive mechanisms of observation and surveillance. Whenever Stasi agents wanted to remain incognito, they were kitted out with false ID cards, passes and other documents by the Department of Operational Equipment (OT). The disguise workshop contained a supply of false beards, wigs, glasses and even entire false stomachs. Stasi officers could also choose from fully packed cases available for disguise purposes. For example they used the “construction worker case” if they wanted to watch a building entrance without being conspicuous. Other styles available included “photographer” and “Arab”. One of the disguise workshops, where Stasi members learnt how to produce the equipment, was in Leipzig.

Collecting data usually happened in a conspiratorial way. “Conspiratorial” was Stasi's buzzword for all aspects of its work which were supposed to be kept out of sight of the ‘enemy’. For example, the secret service developed conspiratorial photographic equipment by hiding cameras in briefcases, jackets, ladies' handbags, cheap flowery shopping bags made of artificial material, and even a false stomach. For secret photography of persons and objects the Stasi used both standard cameras and especial developed constructions. Some cameras were domestic products, others traded from socialistic brother nations, but from western countries as well. Special techniques were also used for other purposes like conspirational communication. One example is a “telephone” using free space optics, which makes it almost impossible to tap the transfer of spoken information.

While doing its observations, the Stasi also carried out “conspiratorial flat search”. The department VIII was responsible for this. First of all the employees of the Stasi obtained a plastic modelling mass impression of the apartment key, which they used to produce copies of the key. Before they started the investigation they made situation photographs by a Polaroid camera to avoid leaving behind visible changes. For the actual documentation of found written evidences Stasi used different portable photocopier, sometimes 35 mm cameras as well. The department VIII was also responsible to install bugs for recording conversations from private apartments, offices and hotel rooms.