In Conversation with Margot Honecker

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! In this short Cold War Conversations bonus episode, I speak with Jon Benjamin, who recounts his meetings with Margot Honecker, the unrepentant architect of East Germany’s education system and widow of GDR leader Erich Honecker. In 2012 and 2013, … Read more

Doped, Abused and Abandoned: Growing Up in East Germany’s Sports System

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! This episode covers themes of physical and emotional abuse, as well as suicide. If you need support, please follow the links below. UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ Rest of the World  https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp Kerstin recounts her harrowing childhood and life experiences in East Germany. She … Read more

Interview with an East German Border Guard

Today is the 35th anniversary of the Berlin Wall and East German border opening in the autumn of 1989. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! In this riveting episode, I speak with Dietmar Schultke, a member of the Grenztruppen, the East German Border Guards and delve into … Read more

From East Berlin to Ireland: A Cold War Journey of Resilience

Juli begins by recounting her early years in East Berlin, a time marked by the tragic loss of her father. Drafted into the army just days before her birth, her father continually deserted to see his family, ultimately leading to his untimely death. This early loss left Juli and her mother to navigate a harsh … Read more

Teaching English in East Germany

Bärbel was born in a village near Magdeburg in 1962, She explores her personal and professional life growing up in East Germany. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! We delve into her family’s views on the East German government, her journey to becoming a teacher, and her … Read more

Mutiny in the East German Army

In this riveting account Tilo recounts his experiences as an East German soldier during the final months of East Germany. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! He details the rising political awareness among soldiers, and his fear that his unit will be asked to shoot on demonstrators … Read more