But, the truly scary thing is, that they were justified. My parents always told us to be as quite as possible around the border, especially not singing the very popular (in our household), Dubschek, Dubschek, Dubschek, MaoTseTung, King-Kong, MaoTseTung, King-Kong, Idi Amin, Honecker, Honecker, raus, <sound of a smacked close door, or a muffled gun shot> -- then start all over again.

I read a book a couple of months back by an Australian Journalist, who interviewed Ex-Stasi officers. One of their favourite jobs was to pretend to be a West German wanting to travel into East Germany, wait in line with them and listen into their conversations in the other cars with directional microphones.

My father was strip searched once, because he still had a 10pfenning east stamp in his wallet. They drove him off to the police station for his attempt to devalue the GDR and his blindingly obvious endeavour of smuggling valuta.

I am SO glad, that the GDR is no more.