The stolen children of East Germany

[@Michalis2m]

“..doesnt disturb their sleep”. Careful, frugal words, hitting the nail on its head. Very well put!

[@wilfamos7314]

Another aspect of DDR life I knew nothing about. Thank you for producing such informative videos and and an excellent channel.

[@joelcrandell700]

Can you do youth dentention centers in the GDR next

[@mojzivotjenovival7789]

Thanks for this really interesting story! Similar stories happened in SFR Yugoslavia (mainly in the Serbian Socialist Republic) during the 60s-70s-80s, when the medical staff stolen some newborns from the hospitals, and sold them for hard currency (especially for dollars) to the West. I read that these child stolen cases still unresolved. I really like your channel, you should write a book about the former GDR! Greetings from Czech Republic!

[@royale7620]

Same in Romania, seems like it was a Eastern thing sadly

[@neilwalsh4058]

This was happening in United Kingdom up to the late 1960's too. A lot of young unmarried women had their babies taken off them at birth , put up for adoption and even worse the women were locked up in mental asylums , accused of not being of sound mind. Some stayed there until the late 80's when 'care in the community' became a thing and the government cashed in , selling off 1000's of acres of prime building land in the countryside, where lots of asylums were placed back from Victorian times. Most countries have blood on their hands, either side of the Iron Curtain

[@jfb12321]

Still happens in the UK to this day

[@KETTINGAFK]

Top, goed onderwerp heb je naar het licht gebracht. Ik kijk uit naar je volgende aflevering.

[@darrenchin_]

i can't imagine the burdens that the searching parents bear for years and years

[@TheYizuman]

It's a shame that the German Government prefers to bury the sins of the GDR and not revisit the issue of allowing parent to find their missing children. To disallow parents to find their missing children is pure evil.

[@accsonix8729]

Well its Not serving them so they wont do it

[@van0tot100]

I think one of the issues is that there has never been any proper lustration law in Germany. Nord Stream 2 was headed by a former Stasi agent and that probably is just the top of the ice berg. Fortunately this is getting better as most of the civil servants from the GDR era have been retired. Also, there still are people in Germany with sympathies for the GDR but also the Soviet-Union/Russia, like Gerhard Schröder and I suspect Scholz to some degree. That doesn't mean they are all some kind of evil communist spies, but mostly that they don't really like to point fingers at the former GDR. For example, Schröder is making a lot of money by working for Russian oil companies and the Russian government won't be really pleased when he would publicly criticize the GDR. Also, I think Germans, also those without GDR ties, have a really weird relationship with Russia and the communist block, for example showing when they were commemorating the end of WWII, projecting "thank you" in Russian on the Brandenburger Tor. They completely omitted the fact that WWII started with the Soviet Union as an ally of the Germans and that in 1945 the Russian raped practically every woman in Berlin. And later on, they subjected the East of Germany to 40 years of terror. For some reason, probably out of shame, guilt or embarrassement, Germans often refuse to accurately blame the GDR, Russia or the Soviet-Union for anything they are doing. This also shows by their lackluster support for Ukraine and for example not even calling out Russia when a spy killed a Georgian in broad daylight in Berlin some years ago. Criticizing practices in the GDR is indirectly criticizing Russia, which is something Germans don't like to do.

[@vselenautika]

​@@van0tot100 Actually, the GDR has been widely and thoroughly criticized. The fact that its existence, legacy and heritage have not been whitewashed is an indicator of a certain level of societal consciousness which is sadly lacking in many formerly socialist countries.

[@van0tot100]

@@vselenautika I do think they criticize it but in a distorted way. Barely any Stasi officer is in jail and they fail to acknowledge that Eastern-Germany was de facto occupied by the Russians.

[@dschoene57]

@@van0tot100 They couldn't put Stasi Officers into jail because what they did was legal under GDR law. You can't prosecute someone under foreign law. So even the trials done after 1990, and many of them were trialed, they had to use GDR law to determine if they comitted a crime. Prosecuting someone breaking a law that wasn't in force at the time of the alleged crime is a human rights breach. To give an entirely unrelated example: In the GDR homosexuality was decriminilalized much earlier than in West Germany. So, for instance, if a 17 year old homosexual boy and a 15 year old homosexual boy had sexual relations - that was perfectly legal, while in West Germany it was illegal as their age of consent for homosexuals was 18 years. So if you wanted to prosecute Stasi officers for something that was illegal in West Germany at the time, you would also have had to prosecute a lot of gay men and boys, despite the fact they did nothing wrong at the time according to East German law.

[@habibikebabtheiii2037]

Could you do a video about the east german job system. How does one get a job? What if you lost the job what happens next? Did they have jobcenters?

[@eastgermanyinvestigated]

Interesting suggestion and certainly worth a future video. Thank you!

[@briancisco1176]

Thanks for your research and insight.

[@DaveSCameron]

Absolutely 👍 🇬🇧📚

[@jsomhorst]

Very informative video once again. Thanks for this

[@Eurobazz]

You briefly mentioned Spain. The Republic of Ireland also did the same. Both countries were influenced by the Catholic Church in this awful act.

[@emmcee662]

It’s good to see you back - I always enjoy your videos

[@glenncheatham1320]

Your ch is always fascinating and well investigated.

[@richardshiggins704]

Very interesting . One can say that the same happened in "holy catholic Ireland" in the 60s and 70s .

[@hahahaha5444]

Thank you for your well-researched video. 1:21 poverty was common in families who had multiple children. 3:04 Walter Ulbricht's daughter got her kids taken away bc of alcoholism. 4:08 "rebellious woman" were often locked away in so called "Tripperburgen" or female prisons (eg Frauengefägnis Hoheneck) 6:00 I would like to see a video about Margot Honecker and the Jugendwerkhöfe. The crimes of the GDR should be shown everywhere. THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING WORK. However it's quite to legal challenge to force a DNA test on somebody.

[@Csakbetksszmok]

just take a glass used and you have the DNA

[@spikethompson2000]

Thank you for the video Olaf, I was wondering if you could make a video on the volkspolizei, the regular police force of East Germany

[@tomsleeter5342]

It is very disturbing that those who were responsible for the many abuses of the DDR were never held accountable. Evil people are free in a united Germany after causing so much suffering and death.

[@royale7620]

Sadly this happened in commie Romania too

[@scruffyo4460]

It reminded me of Ceausescu’s regime. I had no idea this also happened in DDR. Heartbreaking. At least Ceausescu was gotten rid of. No one was held to accountability in DDR, and unfortunately probably never will.

[@vauxpedia]

Another interesting video Olaf, I was surprised you didn't mention the children forced into sports programmes & the use of body enhancing drugs. Keep up the great work!

[@eastgermanyinvestigated]

Feel free to check this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZKbaH2GpLFofbM

[@StephenDietz-i6u]

It is absolutely the same way in the US in most states right now! A random asshole can make a complaint with zero evidence and the state will take them and put them in Foster “Care”.

[@matheuspinho4987]

Your work is very much needed, God bless

[@peterpeterholt]

Thank you for another excellent - if depressing - video. As well as providing interesting historical perspectives, this channel also raises issues which are still current and require action today from the relevant authorities. This video is a case in point. Please keep up the good work!

[@paulwebbiweb]

Another excellent video: detailed research, well-organised and clearly presented. Keep up the good work!

[@Hongaars1969]

Hi Olaf Thank you for this very informative content albeit tragic in many respects. Whereas I was aware of this aspect of the DDR’s history from watching different documentaries and movies, the true extent of the horror cannot be emphasised strongly enough. Regards from Dubrovnik. Zoltán

[@ChefEarthenware]

So dreadful. How can people be so evil?

[@AlexWatson-t1f]

Social engineering from womb to tomb.

[@andrewsmith-cm9qw]

Germans want to forget!! Where have we heard that before?

[@namnguyencong9299]

Thank you for this video! I am looking forward to your next!

[@annehersey9895]

It’s very similar to the Lebensborn of the Nazi’s!

[@Andre.felipe84]

True.

[@kerlyenai]

Franco's regime did the same in Fascist Spain. One of the greatest horror one can inflict upon parents and society as a whole.

[@V45194]

Same in Argenitna, Brazil and Chile, under the fascist regimes of the military juntas there. But then, any regime that turns a country into a giant prison and starts going after "the enemies within" is fascist by definition.

[@eddavis1832]

Always look forward to your excellent, well-researched investigative videos. I openly share these with my students who are fascinated by how intelligent, cultured societies can be so brutal. Great video…thanks for sharing…CHEERS!!!🍻

[@cropstar]

Great video as always. And I don't know what to say about the subject matter. Deeply disturbing.

[@thomasherbig]

Outstanding as usual! I had no idea about taking away newborns when I grew up there. It would have been even more frightening...

[@JerusnamWien85]

Another great video that sheds light on this issue. I only came across this while watching the second season of “Weissensee”-I didn’t know the GDR took away dissidents’ children!

[@danmorley8116]

Another excellent video. Fascinating and horrific. One hopes that someday the truth-or at least some of it-will come out.

[@mahdi5796]

Thanks for sharing these

[@docBZA]

Wow, what a horrendous practice by the GDR. Thank you for your research

[@zironthegamer]

Can you do a video on how the GDR government works, like explain the who or what state council of the GDR, SED council of ministers, parliament who his elected to the various government organs

[@eastgermanyinvestigated]

Yes. It will be one of the next videos.

[@zironthegamer]

@eastgermanyinvestigated thanks, comrade

[@gijsrz]

Bedankt

[@eastgermanyinvestigated]

Thank you!

[@douro20]

Yes, Margot was Erich Honecker's wife.

[@hortshack]

Olaf, will you make a video about the "Tripperburgen" and Jugendwerkhöfe?

[@displacedyankee7819]

Interesting topic

[@Steve-jx4vq]

It's sad to think about all the young lives that were destroyed resulting from those policies. I can only imagine all the terrible things that happened in these children's homes. We have access to knowledge regarding the abuses that are suffered in current foster/children centers, but now imagine the abuses when those centers are operated by the government, and are able to be swept under the rug by a government that wishes to hide such abuses. Thank you for another informative video on the workings of the GDR.

[@legalfictionnaturalfact3969]

Guess what though. It's happening in the USA right now.

[@None_of_your_business666]

Großartiges channel

[@Buckshot9796]

Great video! Perhaps you can do one on the 'GDR Children of Namibia'?

[@clayarwine9940]

Thanks!

[@eastgermanyinvestigated]

Thank you!

[@annehersey9895]

I find it hard to believe that by the year 2,000 there wasn’t a mechanism in place for women who had a child but never saw it and was told it died or women forced to sign adoption papers could sign up saying they were looking for their child and have a DNA test done. Then children looking for parents could do the same thing. Adoptees and birth parents have had registry’s for years. And why not ask the nurses and doctors what the notations mean?

[@emmcee662]

Thanks

[@eastgermanyinvestigated]

Thank you!

[@Hansaman58]

Outstanding video.

[@teroaura8044]

So sad😢

[@7878-x5w]

Hi Olaf, I’m a long time viewer and a huge fan of the channel. I was going to comment, however, that the thumbnail of this video may confuse/miss some viewers because of the generic stock image of a baby. I think a lot of viewers, including myself, sometimes “read” the video more by the thumbnail than actual title, and might be a little put off by the thumbnail. I think a picture with features some recognizable GDR flair might get more attention. Please do not take offense to my comment, I really enjoy the video and what it to get as many views as possible. Great work as always!

[@hanknipper3921]

Another outstanding video!

[@paulmattt]

But those children were kidnapped, not adapted.

[@laszlokocsis2855]

Apparently Hitman is 💯 true. Not only East Germany.

[@KarelKraakei-g5j]

Wow.. horrifying

[@kuukeli]

great video

[@epadefunder5331]

unfortunately Georgia 🇬🇪 is still suffering from a similar kind of forced adoption scheme

[@DarkbaseTTV]

Once again, a great video! We should always remember that the party that oversaw all of this, still exists and is politically active. They haven't even had the decency to disband after and simply renamed. They should never be allowed anywhere near political power ever again.

[@nancywysemen7196]

0h boy......

[@MrArgus11111]

The Unhappiest Place On Earth never ceases to amaze and disgust me.

[@DaveSCameron]

I only visited east Berlin once and what grey embodiment in my head of Eric Blair’s 1984. ☘️📚

[@anarcho-pingu]

You think it was the unhappiest place on earth? Try El Salvador or Cambodia. What about Rwanda? And let’s not forget about Detroit.

[@edsiles4297]

This is one of the things for which, beyond the sheer callousness of the thing itself, gets one wondering: how is that supposed to help the Proletariat in any way? Seems pointless if not counterproductive to me 🤔

[@zelphx]

3:52 Chinese food in East Germany?

[@lptomtom]

What a wonderful channel... I wonder if DDR apologists sometimes pop up in the comments to defend their nostalgic love for a totalitarian state ?

[@hahahaha5444]

It already happened 🤬

[@shockwave2617]

So Monster did have some basis in real life.

[@joanofarc6402]

This infuriates me so much. I’m so sad and angry 😠 about this. These wars and authoritarian / commie rulers were horrible to the children. It was all about what benefits the state first. Not humans.

[@Anymouse2]

There seem to be many cases of children being taken in the Western world broadly, but much less of it involves newborns.

[@Brandon-j2l1z]

My Great Grandmother was born and raised in Berlin. She came to America at 16 years old. My Great Uncle her son won several purple hearts serving for the United States in WWII. He hated communism and division of Germany and Berlin made him question if it was worth it to fight. The babies is just another example of the evil of the DDR regime.

[@tomasjakovac7950]

A similar thing has historically happened in Canada as well. The practice is known as "birth alerts", which was supposedly originally implemented as a way for doctors to protect children born to parents considered likely to abuse or neglect them by reporting the birth of the child to the authorities, who would then have the children placed in the foster care system. However, the practice actually became a systematic means of forcibly separating newborn Indigenous children from their mothers and having them raised by white families as a form of cultural genocide. The practice has officially been made illegal, but unfortunately time and again reports surface of medical staff who still use it. I hope these families all over the world can one day be reunited and the victims may finally receive justice after being wronged in such a horrific way!

[@jadger1871]

So much misinformation in your claim, so let's break it down: 1. Birth Alerts were issued before the child is born, often months in advance, by medical professionals who believed that the parents posed a threat to the child's wellbeing. 2. Birth Alerts are not illegal, the practice has simply been discontinued. All provinces have stopped doing it (the last being Quebec in 2023), but none have made it illegal. 3. When Birth Alerts were stopped, there was not a commensurate drop in the number of children who were removed from their parents' care. In fact, statistically it appears that the children are simply being removed by Child Protective Services when they are a little older. If only you knew what Google was.

[@timothyodonnell605]

this is socialism. Obama, Biden, Clinton,

[@kaiserteddie9564]

this was a very infaous thing that happened in south america during the, ironically enough, right wing dictatorships. Specially in argentina maybe the horseshoe theory wasnt that incorrect

[@1joshjosh1]

Terrible...but good video.

[@Crabby303]

The heartlessness of communism never ceases to shock and upset me. Thanks for this very informative video.

[@Bexchoklad]

Attributing this problem to communism creates an inaccurate understanding of what communism really is. If we have an inaccurate understanding of communism then we can't truly critique it and that gives it power and makes us more vulnerable to it. Most communist countries didn't behave like the DDR did here. It's when we look at what all these socialist countries through history have in common that we find their true evils

[@sr-gc6vh]

Questionable logic.

[@Crabby303]

@@sr-gc6vh There's no logic involved, it's an observation and response.

[@anarcho-pingu]

Communism has never existed, the GDR never claimed to achieve it and a totalitarian ruling class used it as an excuse to wield power. The goals aren’t heartless, far from it, it’s the theory written that aims to achieve said goals that is heartless. There are at least hundreds of different theories on how to achieve it, yet you seem to think there is only one. It’s stated in this video that these policies were not unique to the countries you erroneously name “communist”. It happened in Germany, Italy and Spain during their eras of far-right totalitarianism. But hey, this information contradicts your narrow view, so you’ll probably discard it and continue to misunderstand history.

[@Crabby303]

@@anarcho-pingu Sigh. Yes, and Santa Claus lives in the North Pole and when we die we'll all go to heaven for a big happy party for ever and ever and ever.

[@steliosarvanitis5606]

The adopted child can searc for it's biological parents after they become adults, in Greece at least, the biological parents can not know to which pair the child was given. They might cause trouble and disrupt the peace of the family and the upbringing of the child.

[@solestring]

😂😂😂 ювеналочка из пальца 😂😂😂

[@hjeriz]

how is this bad again?

[@cabininthewoods7326]

You are the only dunce here.

[@jjhonecker7644]

wir beobachten dich immer noch, STASI-AUGEN 👀 👁

[@bethechange2024]

Thanks!

[@eastgermanyinvestigated]

Thanks again!