Cold War Conversations

In the early 1980s East Germany had just 5000 members of the Church of Latter-day Saints, many of which had been members since before World War 2.  In 1982 East German leader Erich Honecker historically allowed the church to build a temple in Freiberg and in 1988 Mormon missionaries were allowed into East Germany. Ken Brady describes his experiences as a Mormon missionary in East Germany as the country gradually disappeared and was absorbed into West Germany.  Ken also gives us a valuable view of life away from Berlin in cities such as Cottbus, Gorlitz, Schwerin, Frankfurt an der Oder and Eisenhüttenstadt. It’s a fascinating story told with humour and candour as Ken grapples with local dialects, the local food and tricks with East German currency.  0:00 Introduction and Ken Brady's early interest in East Germany 7:16 The Church's operations in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall 12:24 First impressions of East Germany 21:17 Fear of the Stasi after the fall of the Berlin Wall 28:18 Encounters with