The SED was challenged three times in 1983: the nuclear confrontation escalated globally, national bankruptcy threatened and a frustrating feeling of stagnation spread among the population. The Stasi reports document overburdened brown coal combines, heated debates on disarmament and the reception of the Green political stars Petra Kelly and Gert Bastian at Erich Honecker's. The small but highly active GDR peace movement was a particular focus of State Security. An ambivalent atmosphere of fear of the future, optimism and impatience becomes tangible in the Stasi reports. The editors: Dr. Mark Schiefer and Dr. Martin Stief are research associates in the Communication and Knowledge department at the BStU in Berlin.
