Wolf, Markus. Man Without a Face: The Autobiography of Communism's Greatest
Spymaster. New York: Times Books - Random House, 1997. 367 pages.
Markus Wolf was born in Germany in 1923, raised in the Soviet Union,
and for 34 years was the head of foreign intelligence for Stasi, East
Germany's intelligence service. It took almost twenty years before Western
intelligence knew what he looked like, which explains the title of this
book. Stasi was known for its ability to infiltrate the highest levels of
the West German government. Good tradecraft explains some of this, the
longevity of iron-fisted East German bureaucrats explains more, but finally
it seems that many of Stasi's spies were motivated by idealism -- either as
Communist Party members, or simply due to the fact that West Germany was
revoltingly thick with former Nazis in high positions.
Domestically, East Germany was nearly a police state. But in foreign
affairs, where Wolf operated, the moral situation was more ambiguous. KGB
interests were necessarily high on Wolf's agenda. On the one hand, Stasi
tried to help Cuba, emerging nations in Africa, and Nicaragua, and Wolf
describes his visits there. On the other, Stasi involvement in the Middle
East led down a slippery slope, and eventually marginal support was given
to certain terrorists. In all, Wolf gives a reasonably balanced account of
himself, acknowledges his shortcomings, and appears to be more introspective
and intelligent than the average bureaucrat.
ISBN 0-8129-6394-6
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