Even in West Germany in the beginning, people wanted a kind of socialism.

A foreman in the East wouldn't know how many workers he would have the next day, because part of his working force had left the system to go to West Germany.

I was in psychological warfare in World War II, so I know psychological warfare when I see it.

A Western writer came up to me and said, how come nobody at this demonstration spoke of German unity? I told him, because it isn't on the agenda. People were interested in having another, better GDR, another, better socialism.

A great number of people in the East German parts had been Nazis, so the change of mind was not altogether there.

People who were not active in the intellectual life of the country could go on without feeling restricted, except they could not go where they wanted. They could not cross the border to the West whenever they liked.

The Wall was the actual symbol of a defeat, of inferiority.