STasiland summary
ANNA FUNDER'S STASILAND FOLLOWS HER LIFE IN BERLIN AS SHE INVESTIGATES STORIES FROM BEHIND THE BERLIN WALL, AND THE LASTING DAMAGE PERPETRATED BY THE GDR'S MINISTRY FOR STATE SECURITY – THE STASI. THE STRUCTURE IS FLUID, LIKE A TRAVELOGUE OR DIARY, AND YET WHAT EMERGES IS A CLEAR PICTURE OF GERMANY: ITS PEOPLE AND POLITICS, PAST AND PRESENT.
THE BOOK OPENS IN 1996; SEVEN YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE REUNIFICATION OF GERMANY, YET BERLIN IS STILL IN MANY WAYS A DIVIDED CITY. ANNA FUNDER IS WORKING IN TELEVISION IN WEST BERLIN, BUT QUESTIONS ARE MOUNTING IN HER MIND ABOUT THE AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT OF THE FORMER GDR. HER INTEREST IS PIQUED WHEN SHE HEARS THE ASTONISHING STORY OF MIRIAM WEBER WHO, AGED ONLY SIXTEEN, MADE AN ATTEMPT TO GO OVER THE WALL. SOME YEARS LATER, MIRIAM'S HUSBAND DIED, TRAGICALLY AND MYSTERIOUSLY, IN A STASI REMAND CELL. HER TALE OF COURAGE AND RESISTANCE SETS FUNDER OFF ON HER ADVENTURES IN STASILAND: IN THE FORMER STASI HEADQUARTERS IN BERLIN-LICHTENBERG AND LEIPZIG, AND THE FILE AUTHORITY NEAR NUREMBERG.
IN CONVERSATIONS WITH HER GOOD FRIEND KLAUS AND HER LANDLORD JULIA, SHE LEARNS OF LIVES PROFOUNDLY INVADED AND DISRUPTED BY THE STASI. THEN THERE IS FRAU SIGRID PAUL: SEPARATED FROM HER SICK BABY WHEN THE WALL WAS BUILT, SHE ENDED UP IN HOHENSCHÖNHAUSEN PRISON. THIRTY-FIVE YEARS ON, SHE IS A BROKEN WOMAN, STILL TRYING TO HOLD BACK THE TEARS.
SEEKING A FULLER STORY, FUNDER PLACES AN ADVERT IN THE PERSONALS SECTION OF A NEWSPAPER, REQUESTING INTERVIEWS WITH 'FORMER STASI OFFICERS AND UNOFFICIAL COLLABORATORS'. HER CALL IS READILY ANSWERED. SHE MEETS THE RESPONDENTS IN DINGY PUBS, BEHIND BLACKED-OUT CAR WINDOWS, AND IN UNLIT SUBURBAN ROOMS. THESE EX-STASI RANGE FROM COMMUNIST PROPAGANDISTS TO MEMORABILIA FANATICS, AND INCLUDE VICTIMS SWEPT UP IN SOMETHING FAR BEYOND THEIR CONTROL.
RETURNING TO GERMANY IN SPRINGTIME, FUNDER STUMBLES ACROSS A NEW MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY HISTORY IN LEIPZIG. BUT SHE CONCLUDES THAT THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH PUTTING SUCH RECENT HISTORY BEHIND GLASS, WHEN NOTHING HAS BEEN RESOLVED. SHE ARGUES THAT WOUNDS ARE STILL RAW IN A COUNTRY WHERE EX-STASI THRIVE IN GOOD JOBS, AND JUSTICE HAS NOT YET BEEN DONE; IMPORTANT QUESTIONS REMAIN TO BE ASKED, LET ALONE ANSWERED.
UNKOWN
THE BOOK OPENS IN 1996; SEVEN YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE REUNIFICATION OF GERMANY, YET BERLIN IS STILL IN MANY WAYS A DIVIDED CITY. ANNA FUNDER IS WORKING IN TELEVISION IN WEST BERLIN, BUT QUESTIONS ARE MOUNTING IN HER MIND ABOUT THE AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT OF THE FORMER GDR. HER INTEREST IS PIQUED WHEN SHE HEARS THE ASTONISHING STORY OF MIRIAM WEBER WHO, AGED ONLY SIXTEEN, MADE AN ATTEMPT TO GO OVER THE WALL. SOME YEARS LATER, MIRIAM'S HUSBAND DIED, TRAGICALLY AND MYSTERIOUSLY, IN A STASI REMAND CELL. HER TALE OF COURAGE AND RESISTANCE SETS FUNDER OFF ON HER ADVENTURES IN STASILAND: IN THE FORMER STASI HEADQUARTERS IN BERLIN-LICHTENBERG AND LEIPZIG, AND THE FILE AUTHORITY NEAR NUREMBERG.
IN CONVERSATIONS WITH HER GOOD FRIEND KLAUS AND HER LANDLORD JULIA, SHE LEARNS OF LIVES PROFOUNDLY INVADED AND DISRUPTED BY THE STASI. THEN THERE IS FRAU SIGRID PAUL: SEPARATED FROM HER SICK BABY WHEN THE WALL WAS BUILT, SHE ENDED UP IN HOHENSCHÖNHAUSEN PRISON. THIRTY-FIVE YEARS ON, SHE IS A BROKEN WOMAN, STILL TRYING TO HOLD BACK THE TEARS.
SEEKING A FULLER STORY, FUNDER PLACES AN ADVERT IN THE PERSONALS SECTION OF A NEWSPAPER, REQUESTING INTERVIEWS WITH 'FORMER STASI OFFICERS AND UNOFFICIAL COLLABORATORS'. HER CALL IS READILY ANSWERED. SHE MEETS THE RESPONDENTS IN DINGY PUBS, BEHIND BLACKED-OUT CAR WINDOWS, AND IN UNLIT SUBURBAN ROOMS. THESE EX-STASI RANGE FROM COMMUNIST PROPAGANDISTS TO MEMORABILIA FANATICS, AND INCLUDE VICTIMS SWEPT UP IN SOMETHING FAR BEYOND THEIR CONTROL.
RETURNING TO GERMANY IN SPRINGTIME, FUNDER STUMBLES ACROSS A NEW MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY HISTORY IN LEIPZIG. BUT SHE CONCLUDES THAT THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH PUTTING SUCH RECENT HISTORY BEHIND GLASS, WHEN NOTHING HAS BEEN RESOLVED. SHE ARGUES THAT WOUNDS ARE STILL RAW IN A COUNTRY WHERE EX-STASI THRIVE IN GOOD JOBS, AND JUSTICE HAS NOT YET BEEN DONE; IMPORTANT QUESTIONS REMAIN TO BE ASKED, LET ALONE ANSWERED.
UNKOWN
stasiland character profiles
Anna funder
An Australian living temporarily in Berlin, thirty-year-old Anna is
the text’s narrator.
chapters: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28
the text’s narrator.
chapters: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28
Miriam Weber
Aged in her mid-forties, Miriam has spent much of
her life fighting the Stasi. She became an enemy of the state at sixteen
of age. She almost escaped East Berlin in 1968, but was caught,
tried and imprisoned. After her release she married Charlie, who later
died in Stasi custody. She has spent decades seeking answers.
chapters: 2,3,4,28
her life fighting the Stasi. She became an enemy of the state at sixteen
of age. She almost escaped East Berlin in 1968, but was caught,
tried and imprisoned. After her release she married Charlie, who later
died in Stasi custody. She has spent decades seeking answers.
chapters: 2,3,4,28
Julia Behrend
Julia is Anna’s landlord. The Stasi closely monitored
Julia because of her relationship with an Italian man. The Stasi also
covertly controlled her education and employment. Julia was raped just
after the Wall fell. She is mistrustful, anxious and unable to submit to
authority. She moves to San Francisco to start a new life.
Julia because of her relationship with an Italian man. The Stasi also
covertly controlled her education and employment. Julia was raped just
after the Wall fell. She is mistrustful, anxious and unable to submit to
authority. She moves to San Francisco to start a new life.
Frau Sigrid Paul
Frau Paul is in her early sixties. She volunteers at the
museum set up in the former Hohenschönhausen prison, where she was
incarcerated in the 1960s for helping students escape East Berlin. She
refused a Stasi deal to inform on a friend and, in so doing, relinquished all
opportunity of seeing her infant son, who was in a West Berlin hospital.
museum set up in the former Hohenschönhausen prison, where she was
incarcerated in the 1960s for helping students escape East Berlin. She
refused a Stasi deal to inform on a friend and, in so doing, relinquished all
opportunity of seeing her infant son, who was in a West Berlin hospital.
Torsten
Frau Paul’s son. Born with life-threatening injuries, Torsten
spent his first five years in a West Berlin hospital. Anna meets Torsten as
an adult.
spent his first five years in a West Berlin hospital. Anna meets Torsten as
an adult.
Klaus Renft
A founding member of the Klaus Renft Combo, one of
East Germany’s most popular rock groups, which was banned by the Stasi
in 1975. Klaus is easygoing, philosophical and a heavy drinker.
East Germany’s most popular rock groups, which was banned by the Stasi
in 1975. Klaus is easygoing, philosophical and a heavy drinker.
Alexander Scheller
Anna’s boss at West Berlin’s overseas television
station. His dismissive attitude toward East Germans strengthens Anna’s
determination to research and write Miriam’s story.
station. His dismissive attitude toward East Germans strengthens Anna’s
determination to research and write Miriam’s story.
Uwe Schmidt
Anna’s colleague who helps her track down von
Schnitzler and Hagen Koch.
Schnitzler and Hagen Koch.
Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler
Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler: Von Schnitzler is seventy-nine years old
and frail, but bullishly aggressive. Von Schnitzler researched, wrote and
presented ‘The Black Channel’. He remains staunchly committed to
communist and GDR ideology.
and frail, but bullishly aggressive. Von Schnitzler researched, wrote and
presented ‘The Black Channel’. He remains staunchly committed to
communist and GDR ideology.
Herr Winz
Herr Winz, in his sixties, still vehemently defends
communism and is intent on putting forward the Stasi’s side of history.
communism and is intent on putting forward the Stasi’s side of history.
Herr Christian:
Herr Christian worked in the Stasi’s border control.
He had no ideological commitment to the Stasi, but is a self-confessed
stickler for the law.
He had no ideological commitment to the Stasi, but is a self-confessed
stickler for the law.
Hagen Koch
Hagen Koch was employed in the Stasi’s cartography
department and in 1961 painted the line upon which the Berlin Wall was
built. Now in his fifties, he preserves the Wall in his archive and in his
work as a tour guide.
department and in 1961 painted the line upon which the Berlin Wall was
built. Now in his fifties, he preserves the Wall in his archive and in his
work as a tour guide.
Herr Bock
Herr Bock was a professor at the Stasi’s training academy
where he taught Stasi men how to recruit informers. His quiet menace
makes Anna uncomfortable.
where he taught Stasi men how to recruit informers. His quiet menace
makes Anna uncomfortable.
Herr Bohnsack
Herr Bohnsack worked in the Stasi’s overseas
espionage department. He publicly admitted to being a Stasi man in a
local bar in late 1989.
espionage department. He publicly admitted to being a Stasi man in a
local bar in late 1989.
Herr Raillard
The director of the Stasi File Authority, Herr Raillard
oversees the thirty-one ‘puzzlers’ attempting to reconstruct shredded
Stasi files.
oversees the thirty-one ‘puzzlers’ attempting to reconstruct shredded
Stasi files.