2. government based on Communist philosophy had very clear expectations from its people therefore had very strict laws, programs, plans and restrictions in place State Security started a program of ‘observation’, where people believed to be ‘enemies’ were followed, taped and recorded. the goal was to be a collective – no individualism. this surveillance was carried out by the STASI.

3. established with the help of the Soviets monitored citizens seen as ‘enemies’ of the state at its peak, it was monitoring 1/3 of the population and employed roughly 90,000 people and hundreds of thousands of casual informants approx 1 person in every 50 worked in some way for the Stasi most effective spy penetration of a society 1950 - 1990 when records were released, it was revealed that wives, husbands, friends, family and colleagues regularly filed reports against each other for years.

4. in 1989, faced with collapse of the DDR, the Stasi tried to destroy their records, ripping them by hand when machines broke. the government confiscated approx 33 million pages of trashed Stasi files and reassembled them. the Stasi Records Law of 1992 lets any German citizen see their Stasi file. so far 1.5 million people have done so. 1950 - 1990

5. Set between 1984 and 1989 Traces the gradual disillusionment of GERHARD WIESLER, a highly skilled Stasi surveillance officer. Won seven Deutscher Filmpreis awards after 11 nominations. Also nominated for a Golden Globe. Won Best Foreign Film Academy Award (Oscar) in 2007.

6. Wiesler is ordered to spy on a playwright GEORG DREYMAN and his actress girlfriend, CHRISTA MARIA SIELAND. He is told to do so by GRUBITZ, an old classmate who is now his boss. Grubitz wants to impress Minister HEMPF, who raises the suspicion of Dreyman. Wiesler agrees to handle it personally.

7. However, Hempf isn’t that interested in Dreyman’s loyalties – he just wants his beautiful girlfriend, Christa Maria Sieland, to himself. Therefore Dreyman needs to be out of the way. Wiesler is an expert in surveillance.

8. Wiesler systematically bugs Dreyman’s flat and sets up a surveillance base in the attic. However he soon finds out that Dreyman is not really that anti-DDR.

9. This gradually changes however. Dreyman finds out that a close friend of his, JERSKA, has killed himself after being blacklisted by the Government for several years. Dreyman also discovers that Christa-Maria has been pressured into a sexual relationship with Minister Hempf.

10. Dreyman decides to write an article about the reality of life in the DDR and send it to West German newspaper, “Der Spiegel”. He has to do this in secret, as it is illegal. However Wiesler is watching, and now has all the evidence he needs.

11. However, Wiesler has got drawn into the lives of Dreyman and Christa-Maria. He is involved in their world Of love and free thinking. He also starts to realise how empty his own life is. He therefore falsifies and changes reports made to Grubitz, his boss.

12. When the article is published, the East German government is totally embarrassed. Grubitz suspects Dreyman, but can’t believe Wiesler has lied to him. Unfortunately, Hempf discovers Christa-Maria has a drug addiction. He pressurises her to reveal that Dreyman did write the article.

13. Dreyman’s apartment is searched, but no evidence is found. Grubitz suspects Wiesler knows more than he is saying, so he orders Wiesler to interrogate Christa-Maria. Wiesler must now decide where his loyalties lie. Will he reveal the truth and ruin his career, or will he let Dreyman be arrested and imprisoned?