Brothers in espionage: Examining the relationship between the Stasi and the KGB

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to answer the research question "what was the relationship between the Soviet KGB and the East German Stasi". Based on the maxim that "there are no such thing as friendly intelligence services, just intelligence services of friendly states" this work analyses the KGB-Stasi relationship through a theoretical framework grounded in the work of Sophia Hoffmann and Joseph Hatfield. In order to provide an answer to the research question this dissertation analyses the KGB- Stasi relationship at the levels of state, institution and individuals. Throughout this project argues that there are no such thing as friendly intelligence services, and that the relationship between the Stasi and the KGB was far from friendly despite shared goals, adversaries and history.