Peace Activist and Top Spy for the GDR Dies at 82

Dieter Popp died in Bonn on November 27, 2020. Together with his source in the Planning Staff of the West German Defense Ministry in Bonn, Dieter provided the GDR and the Warsaw Pakt with military plans of the Bundeswehr and NATO. Their efforts enabled the socialist countries to anticipate and counter NATO armaments buildups through well-informed negotiating positions. Dieter was exposed after the end of the GDR and sentenced to six years in prison. After serving his term in prison, Dieter remained politically active, now openly supporting the Linke Party and the Federation of Anti-Fascists (VVN). Dieter appeared frequently in radio and television interviews and documentaries to explain what and why he and other espionage agents risked so much to further peace in the world and the socialist experiment in the GDR.