Key facts
- East German economic espionage in the 1970s and 1980s boosted overall economic output by 7.4% by 1988.
- Industrial value added was 22.3% higher due to espionage, equivalent to 20.2 billion East German marks.
- The Stasi intelligence service facilitated the acquisition of scientific and technical information from Western entities.
- Firms that received intelligence saw faster productivity growth and increased investment.
- Each piece of valuable information generated an estimated annual return of €330,000 in 2020 prices.
East Germany's extensive Cold War economic espionage in the 1970s and 1980s lifted its overall economic output by 7.4% at the end of the 1980s, according to a study by the Rockwool Foundation Berlin. The findings, seen by Reuters on Sunday, estimate that industrial value added was 22.3% higher due to espionage, equivalent to 20.2 billion East German marks, or €4.1 billion ($4.7 billion) in 2020 prices, all referring to 1988.
Co-author Adrian Lerche stated that the findings have present-day relevance as governments tighten export controls, screen foreign investment, and seek to protect strategic technologies. The Stasi, East Germany's intelligence service, assisted companies in acquiring scientific and technical information from Western businesses and research institutions. Firms that benefited from this intelligence experienced faster productivity growth, increased investment, and a greater focus on their core products.
"Stasi espionage strengthened East Germany's position within the socialist bloc," said Albrecht Glitz, a co-author of the study. "It did not, however, significantly improve success in Western markets." The researchers also noted that the economic gains spread through supplier and customer networks, supporting broader economic effects. Each additional valuable piece of information produced an estimated annual return of about €330,000 in 2020 prices.