Cold War Conversations

Latest Episodes:

The first woman to graduate from French Commando school (227) Mar 19, 2022

Show notes

Maura McCormick was posted to Berlin as a Signals Intelligence voice interceptor (Russian). Her workplace was the Teufelsberg U.S. listening station, aka Field Station Berlin.

Maura shares her early impressions of Berlin and working at the Tberg. She talks about her impressions of the infamous James Hall, a United States Army warrant officer and signals intelligence analyst who sold eavesdropping and code secrets to East Germany and the Soviet Union from 1983 to 1988.

Maura also recounts a close call with Hüseyin Yıldırım, a Turkish-American auto mechanic who was a Stasi courier for the espionage activities of James Hall.

Maura often visited East Berlin where she tells of an unusually close encounter with a chimney sweep that almost resulted in an international incident.

In West Berlin, Maura became the first woman to graduate from French Commando school. The commandant had a nightly call to Paris to confirm that she had survived the day's training…

Now if you think there is a vast army of research assistants, audio engineers and producers putting together this podcast you’d be wrong. This podcast relies on your support to enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available to everyone for free.

If you’d like to help to preserve Cold War history and enable me to continue to produce this podcast you can via one-off or monthly donations.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ for more details.

Do join our Facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook.

0:00 Introduction and Maura McCormick's role in the Cold War

2:35 Interview with Maura McCormick begins

5:56 Maura's first posting in Berlin and impressions of West Berlin

16:21 Maura's interaction with Stasi spies James Hall and Hüseyin Yıldırım

24:52 Maura's acclimatization trip to East Germany and encounters

36:04 Maura's experiences in East Berlin and close encounter with East German leader

44:13 Maura's interactions with East Germans

48:40 How Maura ended up in French Commando school and her training experiences

1:00:53 Exploring Berlin through books and films

1:07:25 Accidental crossing of the border and reflections on Berlin

1:13:15 First impressions of the Berlin Wall and questioning the depth of the Cold War victory

1:14:28 Acknowledgement of the podcast's patrons and invitation to join the Facebook group

1:15:19 Closing remarks and promotion of the podcast store

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More info and videos related to this episode here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode227/

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Betrayed by comrades (226) Mar 12, 2022

Show notes

Liz Kohn has been researching Alice Glasnerová, who was imprisoned as part of the early Cold War Czechoslovak show trials known as the Slansky trials.

These were among the most notorious show trials of the 20th century, with the prosecution and sentencing to death of Rudolf Slánský, general secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist party, and 10 other defendants, who had been arrested in a brutal purge ordered by Stalin.

Alice Glasnerová was Liz’s father’s first wife. When Liz started researching Alice’s life she had never seen a picture of her and had never read a word she had written. All I knew was that she had been married to her father and had been a member of the communist party. Liz has pieced together a tragic story of a couple although deeply in love, who were separated by the difference in their political views which ultimately resulted in pain, disillusion and betrayal.

If you’d like to help to preserve Cold War history and enable me to continue to produce this podcast you can via one-off or monthly donations.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ for more details.

If a financial contribution is not your cup of tea, then you can still help us by leaving written reviews wherever you listen to us as well as sharing us on social media. It really helps us get new guests on the show.

0:00 Introduction to Liz Kohn and her research on Alice Glasnerova

6:17 Alice Glasnerova's political journey and experiences in the Soviet Union

14:58 Alice's experiences in Spain and the aftermath

17:13 Alice's journey to America and the impact of Anti-Semitism

20:02 Alice's return to Czechoslovakia and involvement in the war

27:21 The communist takeover in Czechoslovakia and its impact on Alice's life

31:04 Alice's arrest and her involvement with Noel Field

43:38 The notorious Slansky trial and its outcomes

49:21 Helena's trial, imprisonment, and post-release struggles

1:00:52 Future plans for the story of Alice and Helena

1:01:59 Closing remarks, appreciation for patrons, and invitation to join the Facebook group

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You can read more about Liz’s research on her blog https://lookingforalice.com/

There are further videos, photos and information on this episode here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode226/

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My father, the KGB spy (225) Mar 05, 2022

Show notes

In 1978, Ieva Lesinska was a university student in Soviet Latvia with dreams of becoming a writer. She had just spent a heady month in New York visiting her father, Imants Lesinskis, a Soviet translator working at the United Nations. However, he was an employee of the KGB and a member of the Communist Party.

During her trip to the US, Ieva’s father informed her that he and his wife Rasma were about to defect. He offered her a blunt choice: take a taxi to the Soviet Embassy and denounce him as a traitor, or stay with him and never see her mother or her homeland of Latvia again. She chose to stay.

The new family officially became East German immigrants with new identities: Peter and Linda Dorn, and their daughter Evelyn. They were citizens of nowhere who possessed re-entry permits but no passports. In 1985, soon after Mr Lesinskis publicly disclosed confidential items on various KGB operations in Latvia, he died under mysterious circumstances.

Watch the film about Ieva story here:

UK https://amzn.to/3In12Ra US https://amzn.to/3xRZsBX

This podcast relies on listener support to enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available for free. You can support my work and help to preserve Cold War history via one-off or monthly donations

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ for more details.

Do join our Facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook.

I am delighted to welcome Ieva Lesinska to our Cold War conversation…

There’s further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode225/

0:00 Introduction and story of Ieva Lesinska's parents as sleeper agents

2:26 Ieva Lesinska on her childhood and family history in Soviet Latvia

17:03 Revelation of Ieva's father's KGB affiliation and defection plans

23:02 Ieva Lesinska's journey to the United States and her decision to stay

39:13 Ieva Lesinska's adjustment to new life and identity in the US

50:13 Ieva's academic journey in the US, from Ohio State University to University of Colorado

57:42 Maintaining contact with her mother and dealing with homesickness

1:00:39 Ieva's father's mysterious death and his double life as a CIA and KGB agent

1:08:17 Reunion with her mother and her life after liberation in Latvia

1:14:04 Her story being adapted into a film and rejection of the victim narrative

1:17:41 Ieva Lesinska's current life as a journalist and translator

1:19:13 Acknowledging and thanking patrons

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"Three, Two, one, detonation..." a Royal Navy nuclear test veteran remembers (224) Feb 26, 2022

Show notes

The British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA) is the Charity for UK Nuclear Veterans and last year they very kindly invited me to the annual conference. I met many veterans including Peter Lambourne and this is his story.

Peter joined the Royal Navy aged 15. He describes those early days including serving on HMS Wizard during the Cod War with Iceland in 1961.

In 1962 Peter was then posted to HMS Resolution which was the codename for the nuclear bomb testing base on Christmas Island.

Peter’s base was less than 20 miles away from where hydrogen bombs were being detonated and he shares his experiences of those detonations.

Many servicemen and islanders who were present at Christmas Island from 1957 to 1962 later reported severe health problems, which they attributed to the nuclear bomb tests – from cancers to organ failure. Whilst Peter’s health has appeared unaffected, his children and grandchildren have suffered from cancers.

In 2023 the UK finally awarded a medal to the nuclear test veterans.

If you’d like to help to preserve Cold War history and enable me to continue to produce this podcast you can via one off or monthly donations.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ for more details.

Do join our Facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook.

0:00 Introduction and Peter Lambourne's background

1:06 Peter's posting to HMS Resolution and nuclear bomb testing on Christmas Island

2:29 Call for podcast support and donations

3:33 Peter's experience in the Cod War with Iceland and posting to Christmas Island

12:10 Witnessing hydrogen bomb detonations on Christmas Island

17:06 The terrifying contingency plans and impracticality of their landing crafts

21:01 Lack of protective clothing and radiation tracking

24:33 Recreational activities and dynamics of the Navy group on Christmas Island

29:47 The mystery of the "big black line" in Peter's service record and the classified nature of the mission

34:05 The health effects of radiation exposure and the government's avoidance of liability

38:09 Reflections on Christmas Island as part of Peter's naval career

42:57 Closing remarks and thanks to patrons

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The British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA) is the Charity for UK Nuclear Veterans https://www.bntva.com/

There’s further information including videos and photos on this episode here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode224

Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.

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The Stasi Poetry Circle (223) Feb 19, 2022

Show notes

In 1982 the East German Ministry for State Security is hunting for creative new weapons in the war against the class enemy – and their solution is stranger than fiction. Rather than guns, tanks, or bombs, the Stasi develop a programme to fight capitalism through rhyme and verse, winning the culture war through poetry – and the result is the most bizarre book club in history.

I speak with Philip Oltermann the author of The Stasi Poetry Circle. Philip has used unseen archival material and exclusive interviews with surviving members to tell the incredible hidden story of a unique experiment: weaponising poetry for politics.

If you’d like to help to preserve Cold War history and enable me to continue to produce this podcast you can via one off or monthly donations.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ for more details.

Do join our facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.

I am delighted to welcome Philip Oltermann to our Cold War conversation…

Book giveaway and further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode223/

0:00 Introduction with Philip Oltermann

6:09 Discussion on GDR's policies towards arts and culture

13:22 The Stasi's involvement with writing circles and their shift in approach

21:01 Role of poetry and culture as a weapon in the Cold War

28:37 The story of Annegret Gollin and Stasi's fear of subversive literature

34:57 Stasi's recruitment process and the impact on Annegret Gollin.

39:03 Introduction to Alexander Ruika, a talented poet and spy

44:27 Discussion on the fear of nuclear war in the 1980s

49:39 Introduction to Uwe Berger, the teacher of the Stasi poetry circle

57:43 The decline of the GDR and impact on the writing circle

1:02:13 Book giveaway announcement

1:03:12 Acknowledgement of the podcast's patrons and promotion of the Facebook group

1:06:03 Closing remarks and promotion of the podcast's store

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Radio GDR

If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.

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The start of the Cuban revolution & the launch of Apollo 8 (222) Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

The phrase “history is human” was coined by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian David McCullough. He says “History is about life. It isn't just about dates and quotations from obscure treaties and the like; it's about people", which is exactly what Cold War Conversations is about.

I discovered this phrase listening to the History Daily podcast presented and narrated by Lindsay Graham. This podcast takes you back in time to explore a momentous moment that happened "on this day" in history using fully immersive, sound design, original music and a compelling narrative style.

I really enjoy it and I'm sure you will too. I am sharing two short Cold War episodes on this bonus episode. If think you'd enjoy the History Daily podcast follow or subscribe by searching “History Daily Podcast”. or click on this link https://pod.link/1591095413

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Cold War British Army fighting tactics in West Germany (221) Feb 12, 2022

Show notes

Frank Baldwin was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1979 and served for ten years, rising to the rank of Major. The first battlefield study he planned was in 1989 for HQ 4th Armoured Division. Since then, he has been a guide or historian for over 200 realities of war tours, battlefield studies and staff rides.

Frank reels off lots of great anecdotes as he takes us through the initial years of the BAOR and the British Army’s plans for the defence of West Germany.

He talks about the evolution of doctrines, on both the Soviet and NATO sides including their nuclear war-fighting techniques.

Frank also describes working with Warsaw Pact observers of NATO military exercises and the British view of the effectiveness of other NATO armies as well as the armies of the Warsaw Pact.

Maps and material to accompany this episode are here https://www.staffrideservices.com/?p=461

Now if you are enjoying these podcasts I’m asking for you to support my work with a small monthly donation. Your donations enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available for free to others.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ for more details.

Do join our Facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook.

I am delighted to welcome Frank Baldwin to our Cold War conversation…

Battlefield tour website

Story of a BAOR Cold war tour

Maps and material on BAOR and the Cold war. Cold war background material

Frank Baldwin's blog The Observation Post

0:00 Introduction and overview of the episode

2:37 Discussion on the planning and strategy during the Cold War

8:50 The concept of flexible response and the shift in NATO's planning

19:39 Tactics and maneuvers in the face of Russian forces

27:14 The Battle Group trainer and war simulation

33:04 Introduction of CSC and Stockholm agreement, and experiences during Iron Hammer exercise

37:07 Interaction with officers from the Warsaw pact and insights into Russian training methods

46:23 Perception of East Germans and experiences in East Germany

53:00 Post-cold war British army engagements and core values

56:31 Civilian evacuation during the Cold War and the role of German transport

1:00:34 Supporter acknowledgement and episode closing

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The West Berlin village surrounded by the Berlin Wall (220) Feb 05, 2022

Show notes

When the Cold War split Berlin in half, between East and West, one neighbourhood was trapped in the middle and became a symbol of Cold War tensions.

For more than twenty years, the hamlet of Steinstücken was caught in a tug-of-war between the Americans, the Soviets and the East Germans.

Steinstücken officially belonged to the U.S. Occupation Sector of Berlin. But, it was located outside the city boundaries, completely surrounded by East German territory. No West Berlin-owned roads or trails connected it to the city. It was a de facto Western island in a Communist sea.

We speak with Cold War veteran Don Smith the author of Steinstuecken: A Little Pocket of Freedom, a photo and fact-packed book which describes the challenges America faced in occupied Berlin and the personal stories of the citizens of Steinstücken who faced East German soldiers on a daily basis.

Buy the book here and support the podcast

UK listeners https://amzn.to/3Aux9dW

US listeners https://amzn.to/3r47PZi

Don’s web site http://steinpocket.com/

If you’d like to help to preserve Cold War history and enable me to continue to produce this podcast you can via one-off or monthly donations.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ for more details.

Do join our Facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook.

I am delighted to welcome Don Smith to our Cold War conversation…

There’s further information including videos here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode220/

0:00 Introduction and background of Steinstücken

5:21 History and life in Steinstücken during the Cold War

14:03 The unique nature of German farming and how Steinstücken got its name

16:10 East Germany's attempt to annex Steinstücken and America's response

20:47 The political dynamics in Steinstücken during the Cold War

30:25 Impact of the Berlin Wall on Steinstücken

38:17 The refugee situation and U.S. military operations in Steinstücken

45:37 Economic and societal implications in Steinstücken and the 4 power agreement

1:01:15 Post Cold War integration of Steinstücken into West Berlin

1:07:04 Podcast patrons and invitation to join the Facebook group

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Tales of a West German football fan in the Soviet bloc (219) Jan 29, 2022

Show notes

You will remember Karl-Heinz from our episode 218 where he talked about being a signaller on the West German destroyer "Hamburg" in the late 70s.

Today we follow his post navy life as a travelling supporter of football club HSV Hamburg where he followed them all over the Soviet bloc talks about watching them play Dynamo Berlin the Stasi side and drinking with Liverpool, Newcastle and Hamburg legend Kevin Keegan in a hotel bar in Tiblisi.

And his Cold War encounters don’t stop there. While working in Chile he met General Pinochet, the military dictator of Chile from 1973 to 1990 and living across the street from Margot Honecker the wife of East German leader Erich Honecker who was also an influential member of that country's Communist regime until 1989.

If you have listened this far, I know you are enjoying the podcasts so I’m asking for one-off or monthly donations to support my work and enable me to continue producing the podcast. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you, audio and other extras as well as basking in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

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.

I am delighted to welcome Karl-Heinz to our Cold War conversation…

There’s further information on this episode here including videos here . https://coldwarconversations.com/episode219/

0:00 Introduction to the episode and Karl Heinz's experiences with the KGB

2:02 Request for donations and support for the podcast

4:01 Karl Heinz's recollections of visits to East Berlin and encounters with fans

9:44 Karl Heinz's trip to Tbilisi, Georgia for a football match and interactions with locals

17:32 Encounter with potential KGB agents and misunderstandings with locals

20:38 Karl Heinz's football game experiences in East Berlin

24:57 Karl Heinz's experience in Chile during the time of Pinochet and meeting with Pinochet

30:16 Meeting with Margaret Honecker and her continued belief in the communist cause

32:04 Acknowledgement of patrons and their contributions

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Serving on the West German destroyer "Hamburg" (218) Jan 22, 2022

Show notes

Karl-Heinz served in the Bundesmarine as a Signalman on the West German destroyer "Hamburg" in the late 70s.

He talks of his training, his role and shares details of manoeuvres in the North Sea and Baltics involving East German and Soviet ships.

He also speaks about a cruise to West Africa where the sailors were briefed to stay away from any East German merchant marine sailors and not to engage with them in any form – he and his mates didn’t keep to the rules…

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I am delighted to welcome Karl-Heinz to our Cold War conversation…

There’s further information on this episode in our show notes here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode218/

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.

0:00 Introduction and Overview of the Episode

2:29 Sponsor: Request for Donations and Support

3:15 Karl Heinz's Entry and Role in the West German Navy

10:56 Karl Heinz's Posting to the Destroyer Hamburg and West Africa Tour

18:03 Interaction with East German Sailors

22:27 Military Drills and Exercises in the North Sea and the Baltic

28:00 Anti Submarine Warfare Practice and Duration of Service

30:41 Cold War Travel Restrictions

30:49 Acknowledgments to Patreon Supporters

32:01 Engaging with the Podcast and Closing Remarks

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