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Markus Wolf Biography

Secret Intelligence Service officer

Markus Wolf, born on January 19, 1923, and died on November 9, 2006, was a senior intelligence officer of the East German State Security Service (Stasi) during the Cold War. He was renowned for his exceptional contributions to intelligence work.

Ideology Self Deception Ad Hominem

Book:Man Without a Face: The Autobiography of Communism's Greatest Spymaster

Source: Man Without a Face: The Autobiography of Communism's Greatest Spymaster

“At our college we were taught a universal approach to find out about a person: what problems the person has, what difficulties, what personal tendencies and likings.”

Persons Problem Taught College Approach Universal Difficulty Tendencies

Author:Markus Wolf

“You can't do anything if a person says no. In such a case, there's nothing you can do - unlike the popular cliche that pressure is exerted, or that maybe an unwilling source is done away with.”

Ifs Persons Done Can Do Cases Source Pressure Cliche Unwilling

Author:Markus Wolf

“One person can take papers, photograph them without getting excited, return them, and give them away without any scruples; while someone else has to overcome an enormous obstacle.”

Giving Persons Return Paper Overcoming Photograph Obstacles Excited Enormous Papers Scruples

Author:Markus Wolf

“The particular feature of Berlin - well, all you need to do is look at the map: the geographical position of the city right in the heart of Europe, and the separation of the most powerful two blocs we've ever had in history, which went all the way through Germany.”

Way Needs Wells Looks Heart Two Powerful Cities Position Particular Europe Separation Features Germany Maps Most Powerful Berlin

Author:Markus Wolf

“There were some tragic cases of women whose love was abused, who for a certain time procured important documents or information, not knowing who for, what service they worked for, and for a variety reasons got jailed, were tried and sentenced.”

Love Important Reason Certain Cases Knowing Information Variety Tragic Not Knowing Documents

Author:Markus Wolf

“I feel that I, and the people under my command, tried to use all the traditional methods of recruiting agents which were also used by other intelligence services; adopting also means like pressure, money, sex - but that did not characterize my service.”

People Feels Mean Use Used Sex Money Pressure Method Command Traditional Agents Adopting Intelligence Services

Author:Markus Wolf

“I tried to instill a different motivation, to give them the security and the conviction that they were doing something good, something necessary, something useful - if you want to use a grandiose expression, that they were doing something for peace.”

Ifs Want Giving Different Use Motivation Security Expression Conviction Instill Grandiose

Author:Markus Wolf

“Making use of human weaknesses in intelligence work is a logical matter. It keeps coming up, and of course you try to look at all the aspects that interest you in a human being.”

Trying Humans Looks Matter Use Courses Interest Work Human Beings Weakness Aspect Logical

Author:Markus Wolf

About the Author

Born: January 19, 1923
Died: November 9, 2006
Known for: Secret Intelligence Service officer
Quotes: 9

Books & Sources

Man Without a Face: The Autobiography of Communism's Greatest SpymasterRelated source material

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