On Friday many of the files of the infamous Stasi, communist East Germany’s secret police, were made public for the first time on the German government website.
During the Cold War, the feared organisation retained a tight grip on the citizenry of the German Democratic Republic, creating millions of files, employing thousands of informants and perfecting methods of psychological torture to control dissenters.
The reign of the Stasi ended in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall. As the communist state collapsed, Stasi officers tried to destroy their files fearing a backlash from their liberated countrymen. Fortunately for them, the people stormed the headquarters in Berlin, ensuring the files were preserved.
How much do you know about the Stasi? Take our quiz to find out...