East Germany

New figures on inheritance in Germany show a deep divide between the country's eastern and western regions, with households in the former East far less likely to inherit significant wealth. Elisabeth Kaiser, a member of parliament from Saxony, has drawn attention to the disparity, arguing it entrenches inequality between East and West more than three decades after reunification.

New reporting says espionage conducted during the Cold War added roughly $4.6 billion to the economy of East Germany. The figure highlights how intelligence activity, including the transfer of stolen Western technology and industrial secrets, functioned as an economic tool for the socialist state, not just a security operation. The estimate has drawn attention for putting a price tag on a shadowy side of Cold War history.

East Germany's spy services during the Cold War contributed an estimated $4.6 billion to the country's economy, according to new analysis reported by Popular Science. The figure highlights how industrial espionage and stolen technology transfer became a significant economic activity for the East German state, which relied heavily on copying Western innovations to keep its industries competitive.