Explore Erich Mielke's Office at the Stasi Museum

At the height of its power, the Stasi is now considered to have been, proportionally, the largest secret police organisation ever in existence.

Larger, by that measure, than even the KGB for the entire Soviet Union. By 1989, this organisation – dubbed the ‘Shield and Sword’ of the ruling Socialist Unity Party – could boast of 91,000 official workers, and an additional 189,000 unofficial collaborators. One for every 90 East German citizens.

Although speculation based on the records destroyed at the end of the organisation’s existence puts the number as much higher.

At the top of this vast security apparatus sat one man – Erich Mielke. His office is now accessible on the second floor of the Stasi Museum, preserved with its distinctive wood paneling and modest blue fabric covered furniture. A man obviously concerned with his public image, Mielke did much to appear as if he were not taking advantage of his position, by maintaining a humble official domain. Contrary to the reality, as a member of the ruling Politburo, beyond his home he also owned a palatial hunting villa, complete with a movie theater, trophy room, and sixty servants.

When the Berlin Wall finally fell in 1989, Mielke was summoned to the East German parliament to justify his position in response to the recent developments – an event that has gone down in German television history as visually rewarding as the destruction of the Wall. Confronted with the boos and catcalls of the sitting members, he could do little but profess his love for all humanity (“Ich liebe – Ich liebe doch alle – alle Menschen!”). An emperor with no clothes; who would not remain any kind of emperor for much longer.