Cold War Conversations

Major General Sir Robert Corbett, KCVO, CB was the last Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.We start his story with the description of his first experience of Berlin as a young Army officer commanding a military train across East Germany into West Berlin just weeks after the Berlin Wall had been built. We also talk about his subsequent Army career including his interview with British Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe and his early days as the Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/I am delighted to welcome Major General Sir Robert Corbett to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode136/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction to Cold War Conversations and guest Major General Sir Robert Corbett2:38 Corbett's firsthand account of the fall of the Berlin Wall and early experiences in Berlin9:56 Confrontation with East German railway police and Ian Sanders' reflections16:38 Observations on West Berlin's atmosphere, reconstruction, and damage from World War 222:03 Corbett's decision to join the army, career progression, and appointment in Berlin30:24 Trust and collaboration among commanders during the Cold War and interview with British Foreign Minister Jeffrey Howe33:43 Interaction with local government and freedom to change things under occupation in West Berlin39:43 Purpose and importance of the Cold War Conversations podcast42:06 Demolition of Spandau Prison and construction of British forces supermarket44:03 Closing remarks and acknowledgmentsChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Born in Communist Czechoslovakia, Eva Caletkova has written an honest and unflinching account of her childhood in Bratislava.Eva’s parents were Catholics, and the communist regime began to persecute the Catholic Church right from the start in 1948. They had to hide their faith from anyone outside of their home.Eva provides us with an insightful and emotional conversation that captures her experiences of life in Communist Czechoslovakia and the resulting trauma.Do check out her book “Forgiveness & Violets” available on this link. https://amzn.to/2CwB0NXIf you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3, £3, €3.50 per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If you are affected by mental health issues we describe in this episode and want assistance you can visit The Samaritans in the UK https://www.samaritans.org/ or Befrienders Worldwide https://www.befrienders.org/ websites. There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode135/You can also visit Eva's web site here https://evacaletkova.com/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just use the link below.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Werner Stiller’s spectacular defection to the West in 1979 inflicted one of the Cold War’s most serious blows to the Stasi.At the time he was working as a case officer for the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance, the Stasi’s foreign intelligence division, where he was in charge of scientific espionage in the West.We speak with Stiller’s son Andy, who although he was 11 months old at the time of his father’s defection met his father in later life. Also included is Scott Calonico, who is producing a documentary film with Andy, covering his father’s abandonment of his family and his country, as well as the story of a young man and his journey to discover the man who was his father, the spy…If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/We welcome filmmaker Scott Calonico and Andy to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode134/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Radio GDRIf you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and backstory of Scott and Andy0:54 The story of Werner Stiller, Andy's father, and his defection2:24 Request for listener donations4:41 Werner's role in East German intelligence services and his motivations10:35 Examination of Werner's personal life and its impact on his career14:28 Werner's contact with the BND and his attempts to escape30:10 Werner's final escape to West Berlin and its aftermath34:11 Revealing of Marcus Wolf's identity and the aftermath of Werner's defection41:13 Andy's discovery of his father's past and their relationship post-defection54:57 Discoveries from the Stasi archives and plans for Scott's documentary1:00:16 Closing remarks and promotion of Cold War conversations on FacebookChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Phillips travelled the route of the former Iron Curtain from deep inside the arctic circle to the meeting point in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey. On his journey, he explored both the surviving traces of the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall.The people he meets bear vivid witness to a time of change. There are some who now look on the Cold War with nostalgia and affection, but many more who still despise it unable to forgive the hard and sometimes lost decades that their families, friends, and nations had to endure.Strikingly a large and increasing proportion of these populations no longer has any personal recollection of this defining 20th Century conflict. They were still too young or not even born when the curtain and the wall came down.Buy Tim's book here and support CWC https://amzn.to/3Ud9MirIf you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Back to today’s episode, we welcome Tim to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode133/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and anecdotes from Tim Phillips2:06 Call for listener support and introduction to Tim Phillips' story4:45 Discussion on NATO countries bordering the Soviet Union17:24 The concept of Finlandisation and Finnish neutrality during the Cold War27:10 Soviet occupation of Bornholm34:51 Journey from the Baltic to Marienborn38:47 The transformation of the border area into a nature reserve post-Cold War44:55 The role of the church in the East German dissident movement51:15 Exploring the border in the Czech Republic and Slovakia1:00:31 The British naval incident near the island of Corfu1:05:53 Turning the trip into a book1:08:10 Cold War Conversations Coasters and donationsChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vashi Nedomanský is the son of Czechoslovak former legendary ice hockey forward Václav Nedomanský aka “Big Ned” who is best known as the first ice hockey player to defect to North America to play. We hear a dramatic true story that combines sports, politics, espionage, corruption, and life-changing events that played out on a global stage.Among the stories we hear are the vivid descriptions of the 1969 Ice Hockey World Championships where the Czechoslovak National Team faced the Soviet national team for the first time since the 1968 Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia. Vashi is currently finishing a film that will reveal his father’s incredible story for the first time in his own words. Visit the show notes here to see the trailer and the 1969 Ice Hockey World Championships. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode132/If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us get new guests.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Back to today’s episode, we welcome Vashi to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode132/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and Vashi Nedomanski's father's defection story12:02 Vashi's father's professional ice hockey career and political climate in Czechoslovakia16:44 Prague Spring and the Soviet invasion19:00 The 1969 World Championships and its political implications27:06 Vashi's birth, early life, and family's decision to defect38:16 The methodology and journey of the Nedomanski family's defection44:25 Arrival in Canada and challenges faced by the Nedomanski family49:14 Erasure of Vashi's father from Czechoslovak ice hockey history and consequences faced by family56:02 Vashi's own professional hockey career and experience of discrimination58:04 Vashi's return to Czechoslovakia and his father's popularity1:00:52 The making of Vashi's documentary about his father's life and journeyChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Robert Perschmann describes himself as an anti-Cold War activist.His political views started to form while serving in the US Air Force during the Vietnam War period where he saw first hand the toll on the US military and the racism prevalent in the American South. An interview with a Soviet journalist which was broadcast on PBS radio (the US equivalent of the BBC) was the catalyst for an almost one-man campaign to reduce tensions between the two superpowers.At this point, Robert was working as a US Mailman where he financed numerous visits to the Soviet Union to foster a better understanding between the two systems and became friends with many Soviet personalities including Dean Reed and legendary Soviet journalist Vladimir Posner.If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Thanks to our latest supporters including Greg Collins, Derek Worthington, Craig Donald, Janet Kelley, David O’Leary, STepwolf, Paul Hatzer, Chris Cock, Jon Forsyth, & James RobertsBack to today's episode, we welcome Robert Perschmann to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode131/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and Robert Pershman's unexpected call from FBI2:26 Sponsor: Fundraising plea for the podcast3:16 Robert's experience in the US Air Force and his exposure to racism8:42 Experiences of racism in the American South and impact of Martin Luther King on Robert's life15:35 Robert's transition from military to civilian life and anti-cold war activism20:07 First impressions of Aeroflot and the Soviet Union, meeting and connecting with Vitali Chirkin28:40 Robert's perspective on living conditions and work in the Soviet Union35:36 Dealing with the FBI due to Soviet connections, encounters with the KGB43:56 Activism efforts during the Cold War, meeting Dean Reed51:55 Changing family dynamics due to Soviet connections, meeting Svetlana Starodubtseva1:00:57 Discussion about the Soviet Union's role in World War II, Robert's views on the Soviet Union's post-war actions1:06:31 Closing remarks and acknowledgementsChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Susan Morrison is Professor of English at Texas State University. In the late 1980’s she taught in Rostock in the former GDR and then lived in West Berlin but frequently crossed back into the East to teach and meet friends. In this episode we talk to her about her experiences and her impression of the two Germanys in 1989. During her time in Rostock, Susan got in trouble with the authorities over bulletin board known as ‘The Wall’; the way she was censured by senior academics in the GDR sheds a valuable light on how people lived within the strict system of control by using humour and compromise. Susan talks about finding the humanity in the GDR and how, as she watched the wall fall in 1989, that she wondered if unification would truly benefit all Germans.Susan also retrieved her personal Stasi File and talks about how they tracked and monitored her during her time in the GDR and the assumptions that they made (not always successfully!).If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/James our co-host is the interviewer as we welcome Susan to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode130/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Radio GDRIf you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and Susan Morrison's first encounter with the East German2:43 Susan's journey as a graduate student in East Germany6:49 Susan's role as the editor of the wall newspaper and potential conflict with GDR authorities11:09 The repercussions of posting a controversial article and the aftermath14:31 Susan's complex feelings about her time in East Germany18:08 Susan's discovery of her Stasi file and its references to the controversy26:01 Susan's extended stay in Berlin and her travels to East Germany34:35 Susan's experience living in West Berlin during the fall of the wall46:21 Being detained at the border and misinterpretations by the East German government56:53 The night the Berlin Wall came down and meeting with Angela after the fall1:09:31 Feminist scholars' perspective on the change and the story of the Stasi car1:20:05 Closing conversation with Susan Morrison and Ian Sanders wraps up the episode.Chapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hans de Vreij is a Dutch journalist who has worked in Berlin , Brussels, Geneva and Prague.Whilst working at the United Nations in Geneva Hans was the subject of attempted recruitment by the KGB to develop an ‘agent of influence’ to disseminate Soviet points of view.In addition, they analysed the ‘targeted journalist’ in terms of possible blackmail: ‘kompromat‘ (compromising material). This especially held true for journalists who later might find themselves in an important position, such as press spokesman at a ministry.We later talk about Hans’ visit to a Soviet chemical weapons facility and testing ground on the Volga, some 750 kms southeast of Moscow as well as his service in the Dutch Army.If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Back to today’s episode, we welcome Hans to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode129/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and meeting with Soviet diplomat Mikhail Petrukhov1:51 Sponsor message and request for donations3:57 Hans de Vreij's career journey and focus on human rights and arms control10:49 The envelope incident and potential for blackmail16:33 Conclusion and reflections on the old-fashioned tactics of Soviet intelligence20:14 An unusual request from a KGB agent29:15 Understanding KGB tradecraft35:01 Invitation to see a chemical weapons facility in the Soviet Union53:01 Hans de Vreij's time in the Dutch Army55:38 Closing remarks and call to action: Show notes, donations, and the Facebook discussion group56:16 Podcast sign off by Ian SandersChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can we go beyond the films, books, and photos to learn more about the Cold War? Films are certainly evocative and certainly inform but how can we go beyond that and immerse ourselves to see what it felt like to be there. The two technologies of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality may allow us to do this.Robin Hardenberg is a Berlin-based filmmaker who has developed ’The Berlin Wall App’ which uses Augmented Reality to bring the drama of the division of Berlin to those who are able to walk around the City.Patrick Furlong is Head of Factual at Remarkable TV and has produced VR content for YouTube’s Virtually History series about the Berlin Wall. These programs allow you to immerse yourself in key episodes in Berlin’s Cold War history from your own home. If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Back to today’s episode, we welcome James, Robin & Patrick to our Cold War conversation…There’s VR videos and further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app.https://coldwarconversations.com/episode128/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search for Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and meeting with Soviet diplomat Mikhail Petrukhov1:51 Sponsor message and request for donations3:57 Hans de Vreij's career journey and focus on human rights and arms control10:49 The envelope incident and potential for blackmail16:33 Conclusion and reflections on the old-fashioned tactics of Soviet intelligence20:14 An unusual request from a KGB agent29:15 Understanding KGB tradecraft35:01 Invitation to see a chemical weapons facility in the Soviet Union53:01 Hans de Vreij's time in the Dutch Army55:38 Closing remarks and call to action: Show notes, donations, and the Facebook discussion group56:16 Podcast sign off by Ian SandersChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bill was a US Army Intelligence Analyst. In 1986 he was assigned to Order of Battle Branch, Soviet Section where for three years he studied the Warsaw Pact armies working closely with the US Military Liaison Mission (USMLM) in Berlin which led to a transfer there in November 1989Stationed in Potsdam he became an Order of Battle Analyst and participated in a handful of collection tours with the USMLM as the “back seater”. He tells of the little know history of USMLM during this period and the continued monitoring of Soviet Forces in Germany post the opening of the Berlin Wall and even post reunification to the Soviet’s eventual withdrawal in 1994. If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Back to today’s episode, we welcome Bill to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode127/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and guest background0:50 Bill's role as a US Army intelligence analyst2:27 Importance of financial support for the podcast6:24 Tracking Soviet units and military liaison missions16:04 The fall of the Berlin Wall and its impact on intelligence operations22:13 Observing a Soviet installation firsthand and interacting with East German civilians31:01 The end of three-power control of Berlin and the deactivation of USMLM35:24 German intelligence services, BND, and their collaboration with USMLM38:25 Formation of the Combined Analysis Detachment Berlin (CAD B) and surveillance operations56:36 Handling of Russian nuclear weapons storage facilities and shift to human intelligence1:06:30 Episode closing remarksChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices