The evidence in my file indicates that I became a “person of interest” to the Stasi in the fall of 1975. Their initial interest in me probably resulted from an understandable uneasiness about my project, since it brought me into direct contact with writers of all political persuasions, including dissidents, and it was difficult for anyone to monitor my activities closely. What were the writers telling me in the interview sessions, what sort of literary texts were they giving me for publication in my book, and how was I going to package and present all this material back in the United States? Was I a friend or an enemy of the GDR? Their answer to the last question is, of course, to be found in my file.
Remembering East Germany 