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Germans visit HQ of ex-Stasi boss Mielke | Germans visit HQ of ex-Stasi boss Mielke |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The heart of the former East German police state - the office of Stasi chief Erich Mielke - has been opened to the public in Berlin. | The heart of the former East German police state - the office of Stasi chief Erich Mielke - has been opened to the public in Berlin. |
The original plush furnishings have been restored at "Haus 1" - the former communist secret police headquarters, which is now a museum. | The original plush furnishings have been restored at "Haus 1" - the former communist secret police headquarters, which is now a museum. |
Before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 about 8,000 Stasi agents worked there, isolated from ordinary citizens. | Before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 about 8,000 Stasi agents worked there, isolated from ordinary citizens. |
Twenty-two years ago protesters stormed the HQ and saved many secret files. | Twenty-two years ago protesters stormed the HQ and saved many secret files. |
The German state spent about 11m euros (£9m; $14m) renovating the GDR (German Democratic Republic) Ministry for State Security, which covers about 20 hectares (50 acres). | The German state spent about 11m euros (£9m; $14m) renovating the GDR (German Democratic Republic) Ministry for State Security, which covers about 20 hectares (50 acres). |
Mielke's restored office includes an oil painting by his favourite artist, Wolfgang Frankenstein, and a large television made by the Dutch firm Philips - a luxury that normal GDR citizens could only dream of. He ran the Stasi from 1957 to 1989. | Mielke's restored office includes an oil painting by his favourite artist, Wolfgang Frankenstein, and a large television made by the Dutch firm Philips - a luxury that normal GDR citizens could only dream of. He ran the Stasi from 1957 to 1989. |
There are also GDR-built electric typewriters and Mielke's highly polished desk. | There are also GDR-built electric typewriters and Mielke's highly polished desk. |
Mielke, who died in 2000, served two years in prison (1993-95) for the 1931 murder of two police officers. | Mielke, who died in 2000, served two years in prison (1993-95) for the 1931 murder of two police officers. |
The Stasi Records Office says 460 museum visitors made requests to see their Stasi files on Saturday. | The Stasi Records Office says 460 museum visitors made requests to see their Stasi files on Saturday. |
Since the files were opened to the public about 2.8 million people have made such requests. | Since the files were opened to the public about 2.8 million people have made such requests. |
Computers are being used to piece together the files that the Stasi tried to destroy before the GDR collapsed. | |
In total 15,500 sacks each containing up to 80,000 bits of paper were recovered, the AFP news agency reports. | In total 15,500 sacks each containing up to 80,000 bits of paper were recovered, the AFP news agency reports. |
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