Německá karta v rukou velmocí - Skrytá hra tajných služeb – Komossa Gerd-Helmut (2020)

This book provides a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of intelligence operations and the way of thinking and working of secret service personnel. The author, who was appointed by Minister Georg Leber as the head of military counterintelligence (MAD) – the intelligence service of the Bundeswehr – informs in this context about the relationship with politicians and journalists or foreign intelligence services, as well as attempts to recruit Bundeswehr soldiers by East German secret services. He is principled when discussing the peculiarities of German-American relations and the 'value' of the German card in the game of powers. Because good German relations with the United States are not a given, it is an urgent need for the author to ensure that they receive special care and attention due to the occasional discrepancies. For the first time, this book mentions an episode that the author had previously kept silent about. In July 1953, shortly after Stalin's death, he addressed a personal letter to Nikolai Bulganin, a member of the Soviet leadership. In the letter, the author proposes a new definition of German-Soviet relations and advocates for the return of those German prisoners who were still in Soviet captivity. Only much later did he learn that this letter not only reached Moscow but also had a certain political effect. The Soviets apparently...