The former Stasi headquarters,
Haus 22

English: interpretation, German, Sign language

Not long after the explosion of punk, first in London and later in West Germany, the first exponents of this brash new musical genre appeared in the GDR in 1979. During the early 1980s, the Stasi became aware of these new dissidents and sought to intimidate them using increasingly heavy-handed measures. Fans of this rebellious Western subculture were detained and forced to “explain themselves”. They were also punished with sanctions such as exclusion from employment and third-level education. But the punks refused to be tamed.

Panellists Shanghai Drenger, Lutz Schramm and Maik Reichenbach will discuss the topic, with Christine Watty moderating.