Description
PLANS TO CONQUER BERLIN
Book Summary
A compelling work of non-fiction that reconstructs the violent neo-Nazi attack on an underground punk concert in East Berlin in 1987. Drawing on exhaustive research into Stasi archives and over forty direct testimonies, David Granda unravels a plot connecting punk musicians, political dissidents, secret police spies, and far-right groups. Readers will discover how a Protestant church became the epicenter of cultural opposition to the communist regime, and how that October night marked a turning point in civil resistance within the GDR.
What is it about?
On October 17, 1987, the Zionskirche in East Berlin hosted an illegal concert featuring the punk bands Die Firma (from the East) and Element of Crime (from the West), which had managed to cross the Wall hours earlier. When the show ended, a group of neo-Nazis stormed the venue and brutally attacked the attendees. The police, present in the immediate vicinity, decided not to intervene. The book meticulously reconstructs the events, the political background, and the consequences of that night, integrating the voices of dissidents such as Rainer Eppelmann, singer Sven Regener, guitarist Key Pankonin, Stasi informants, and a secret police officer in charge of monitoring cultural dissent. The work does not just recount the attack; it explores the complex network of alliances and tensions between the punk scene, the Protestant Church, intelligence services, and far-right movements during the final years of the Cold War.
Main Themes
- Cultural repression and civil resistance in communist East Germany.
- Neo-Nazi violence and state collusion in the GDR before the fall of the Wall.
- The role of the Protestant Church as a refuge for pacifist and dissident opposition.
- The underground punk scene as a form of political and cultural protest.
- Stasi infiltration and surveillance of countercultural movements.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in recent European history, especially the Cold War and life in East Germany. It also holds great appeal for those who follow the punk scene, independent rock, and counterculture as political phenomena. Likewise, it is an essential work for fans of investigative journalism, historical essays, and chronicles that combine direct testimony with secret archive documentation.
What this book adds
- A detailed and documented reconstruction of a key episode of cultural resistance in the GDR, based on over forty testimonies and Stasi archives.
- A unique perspective on the complex relationship between the communist State, far-right movements, and the clandestine punk scene.
- Direct testimony from central figures of political and cultural dissent, including the last Minister of Defense of the GDR.
- An analysis of how a punk concert became a symbol of the fight for freedom of expression and civil rights.
Technical Specifications
- Author: David Granda Pavón
- Publisher: Libros del K.O, S.L.L
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: Punk, new wave and indie, true stories, literary essays, reports and collections of journalistic articles, history, political activism
- Collection: Narrative
- Publication date: March 2022
- Number of pages: 504
- Weight: 919 g
Editorial Review
Plans to Conquer Berlin is a first-rate work of investigative journalism that succeeds in combining historical rigor with an absorbing narrative. David Granda not only documents a violent and little-known event but places it within the context of the political, cultural, and social tensions that preceded the fall of the Wall. The work stands out for the plurality of voices it collects, from dissidents to Stasi agents, offering a multifaceted view of an episode that symbolizes creative resistance in the face of repression. Recommended for those looking for a read that unites history, music, and political commitment with remarkable literary quality.