Uncovering Germany’s Cold War Spy Missions | Florian Flade

On this week’s episode, investigative journalist Florian Flade joins Chris to uncover three little-known German intelligence operations from the Cold War and their aftermath: supporting the Mujahideen in Afghanistan, secretly buying Soviet weapons from demoralized troops in East Germany, and covertly shipping GDR arms to Israel. Florian explains how these missions reflected Germany’s risk-taking intelligence culture, the close ties with allies like the CIA and Mossad, and the lessons they still carry for today as modern battlefields like Ukraine become testing grounds for foreign weaponry. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, geopolitics, and current affairs. Follow Florian’s blog and connect on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/florianflade.bsky.social Twitter/X: https://x.com/FlorianFlade Blog: https://ojihad.wordpress.com/ Florian’s reporting discussed in the episode "When the BND Supported the Mujahideen" | Taggeshau: https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/wdr/bnd-mudschaheddin-101.html "Summer Rain in the Hindu Kush" | Verschlusssache: https://ojihad.wordpress.com/2021/09/06/sommerregen-am-hindukusch/ "Treasures of Steel" | Verschlusssache: https://ojihad.wordpress.com/2022/12/01/schatze-aus-stahl/ "The 'Agricultural Machinery Affair'" | Verschlusssache: https://ojihad.wordpress.com/2025/08/11/die-landmaschinen-affare/ "The BND and the Yom Kippur War" | Verschlusssache: https://ojihad.wordpress.com/2022/10/06/der-bnd-und-der-jom-kippur-krieg/ Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/329e4b YouTube: https://youtu.be/fYZClRjdEpY Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird Photos by Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.