Doped, Abused and Abandoned: Growing Up in East Germany’s Sports System (400)
This episode covers themes of physical and emotional abuse as well as suicide. If you need support please follow the links below.
UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
Rest of the World https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp
Kerstin recounts her harrowing childhood and life experiences in East Germany. She was identified at a young age for elite sports training, which led to intense gymnastics regimens, physical and emotional abuse, and state-sponsored doping.
When she was dismissed from the sports program without warning she was left isolated and struggling with identity loss.
Her personal life deteriorated further after her father’s death, and she turned to alcohol and self-destructive behaviour.
Despite enduring severe trauma, Kerstin ultimately found healing and reconciliation with her past. She received state compensation for the doping-related damage to her health, repaired her relationship with her mother, and now shares her story to ensure the dark realities of the East German regime are not forgotten.
Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode400/
The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history.
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1:16:04
Whispers of Freedom: Portraying the Story of the last person shot at the Berlin Wall (399)
Chris Gueffroy, was the last person to be shot dead at the Berlin Wall and a new short film called “Whispers of Freedom” portrays his story.
I speak with the film’s director Brandon Ashplant who shares the challenges of accurately portraying real individuals with deep personal histories.
Actors Cameron Ashplant (Chris) and Wendy Makkena (Karin) reflect on research they undertook to authentically represent life in East Germany.
The discussion also touches on the emotional impact of visiting key locations including Chris’s grave and the site of his death, and the delicate process of obtaining consent from his family to tell this story.
Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode399/
Where can I see the film?
There’s been various updates since we recorded. The trailer has been released and is available on the Golden Goat Films Facebook and Instagram pages (@goldengoatfilms). The World Premier is at the Sunderland Shorts Film Festival at 18:00 on Friday 16th May at the Omniplex, Sunderland. Cast and crew in attendance. So if you are in the area, do join them.
The Canadian premiere is in September at Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) - which makes the film Canadian Screen Award Qualifying, opening up its route to the Academy Awards (if we’re lucky enough!)
The Guernsey premier is on September 12th and the Berlin premiere is on October 2nd at the DDR Museum. The film will thereafter live at the museum, available for international tourists to watch on an ongoing basis.
The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history.
You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.
Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/
If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link.
Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/
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50:42
Submerged: Life on a Fast Attack Submarine in the Last Days of the Cold War (398)
Former US Navy Commander Henry Rausch is the author of Submerged: Life on a Fast Attack Submarine in the Last Days of the Cold War.
Henry shares his experiences from training to life aboard a submarine, emphasising the challenges, mishaps, and the camaraderie among the crew. He provides vivid descriptions of the rigorous training, the psychological demands, and the technical operations of submarines, including navigating under ice and surfacing manoeuvres.
Henry also discusses the toll his career took on his personal life and his eventual transition to the reserves as the Cold War wound down. His story is enriched with unique anecdotes, culminating in a detailed account of a gas leak incident.
He also gives a nod to the mentorship and collaboration with officers from allied navies, particularly highlighting his respect for a UK submarine officer.
All our submarine stories https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QQHCaEdQB2hAfcaQAxFyn?si=9a7e61ff56624594
Enter the book giveaway here https://coldwarconversations.com/giveaway/
Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode398/
The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history.
You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.
Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/
If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link.
Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/
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1:05:16
Deep Cover Cold War Spies: How Russia’s Illegal Agents Penetrated the West (397)
In 2010, two decades after the Cold War had ended, ten Russian spies were arrested in America, having hidden their true identities from their friends, neighbours and even their children.
They were part of a spy programme that had begun nearly a century earlier, when the revolutionary Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad to pose as foreign aristocrats, merchants and students.
These deep-cover missions - some remarkable feats of espionage, others high-profile failures - could last for decades.
Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews, as well as newly discovered archival material, Shaun Walker brings this history to life in The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and the Plot to Infiltrate the West, a page-turning tour de force that goes to the heart of what became the most ambitious espionage programme in history.
Enter the book giveaway https://coldwarconversations.com/giveaway1/
Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode397/
Related episodes
Portland Spy Ring Part 1 https://pod.fo/e/292bd
Portland Spy Ring Part 2 https://pod.fo/e/4471e
The Bridge of Spies spy https://pod.fo/e/15f244
Discovering your husband is a KGB spy https://pod.fo/e/17a1c4
I was a deep cover KGB spy Part 1 https://pod.fo/e/9c88f
I was a deep cover KGB spy Part 2 https://pod.fo/e/9e0a6
The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history.
You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.
Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/
If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link.
Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/
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1:11:26
A Black US Basketball Virtuoso in Cold War Poland (396)
The Communist Polish press called it "Kentomania!"—the excitement surrounding a 23 year old, called Kent Washington who made history as the first American—and the first Black American—to sign a professional sports contract behind the Iron Curtain.
Stepping off the plane in Poland, Kent was immediately struck by how different everything felt. Yet, it was on the basketball court where he found common ground with the Polish people.
His creative and electrifying gameplay won over audiences, earning him admiration and respect.
But beyond basketball, the warmth and hospitality of the Polish people left a lasting impression, making him a beloved figure in the country’s sports history.
As a result, Kent was inspired to write a memoir, ‘Kentomania: A Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland’.
BUY THE BOOK HERE
Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode396/
The fight to keep Cold War history alive continues, and with your support, I can ensure these incredible stories are never forgotten. A simple monthly or annual donation gives me the resources to continue uncovering and sharing the untold history of this fascinating era.
As a valued supporter, you’ll become part of our exclusive community, enjoy ad-free episodes, and receive the coveted CWC coaster as a token of my appreciation. Plus, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're playing a vital role in preserving Cold War history for future generations.
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Experience the Cold War like never before through award-winning, real-life stories told by those who lived it.
Each week, we bring you firsthand accounts from soldiers, spies, civilians, and more, capturing the full spectrum of Cold War experiences.
Host Ian Sanders takes you beyond the history books, delivering raw, personal stories where every breath, pause, and emotion adds depth to understanding this pivotal era.
This is Cold War history, told from the inside.
We cover subjects such as spies, spying, the Iron Curtain, nuclear weapons, warfare, tanks, jet aircraft, fighters, bombers, transport aircraft, aviation, culture, and politics.
We also cover personalities such as Fidel Castro, JFK, Ronald Reagan, Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov, Mikhail Gorbachev, Konstantin Chernenko, Margaret Thatcher, John F. Kennedy, Josef Stalin, Richard Nixon, Lech Walesa, General Jaruzelski, Nicolae Ceaușescu.
Other subjects include Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Romania, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin, West Berlin, East Berlin, Cuban missile Crisis, Berlin Airlift, Bay of Pigs, SALT, Perestroika, Space Race, superpower, USSR, Soviet Union, DDR, GDR, East Germany, SDI, Vietnam War, Korean War, Solidarność, Fall of the Wall, Berliner Mauer, Trabant, Communist, Capitalist, Able Archer, KGB, Stasi, STB, SB, Securitate, CIA, NSA, MI5, MI6, Berlin Wall, escape, defection, Cuba, Albania, football, sport, Bulgaria, Soviet Union, Poland, China, Taiwan, Austria, West Germany, Solidarity, espionage, HUMINT, SIGINT, OSINT, IMINT, GEOINT, RAF, USAF, British Army, US Army, Red Army, Soviet Army, Afghanistan, NVA, East German Army, KAL007, T-72, T-64, Chieftain, M60
The podcast is for military veterans, school teachers, university lecturers, students and those interested in Cold War history, museums, bunkers, weapons, AFVs, wargaming, planes, A Level, GCSE students studying Superpower Relations and the Cold War.
USA