I'm a Profiteer in Cold War Germany

In the afternoon, Alexanderplatz was still bustling with crowds.

Werner blended into the crowd, carefully searching for the Black Market dealer Fatty Wolf had previously pointed out to him.

The Black Market in East Germany had its own set of rules.

Dealers didn’t hawk their wares openly. Instead, they used secret codes and hand signals to identify customers. After observing for a moment, Werner spotted the man from before.

He was a lanky man loitering near a newsstand, occasionally nodding at passersby. Whenever someone got close, he would pretend to buy a newspaper while actually exchanging words in a low voice.

Werner walked over and, mimicking the others, pretended to read a newspaper.

"Looking for something?" the lanky man asked in a near-whisper.

"Heard you’ve got the good stuff," Werner replied, also lowering his voice.

The lanky man sized him up. "A new face. Who sent you?"

"Fatty Wolf," Werner said plainly.

Upon hearing the name, the lanky man’s attitude noticeably softened. "Oh, a friend of Fatty Wolf. What are you looking for? Cigarettes? Coffee? Or..." He made a money-counting gesture.

"I’d like to know about foreign currency," Werner said, getting straight to the point. "What’s the going rate for the West German Mark?"

A shrewd glint flashed in the lanky man’s eyes. "Well now, big business, is it? You looking to buy or sell?"

"Just checking the rates for now," Werner said, feigning experience.

The lanky man glanced around. After confirming no one suspicious was nearby, he lowered his voice. "One West German Mark, I can get you four East German Marks."

"And what if I wanted foreign exchange vouchers?" Werner asked, testing the waters.

The lanky man’s expression grew cautious. "Foreign exchange vouchers? That’s premium stuff. What do you want those for?"

"To go to those special shops and buy some nice things, of course," Werner said, feigning expertise. "I hear the coffee and cigarettes there are of particularly high quality."

"Ha, you really know your stuff," the lanky man chuckled. "Vouchers aren’t easy to get, and they’re risky. But..." He paused. "If you really have West German Marks, I’ve got a way."

"What way? Can’t you just exchange them at the bank?" Werner asked, playing dumb to draw out more information.

The lanky man scoffed. "The bank? Buddy, listen to yourself... Sure, the bank exchanges them one-for-one, but if you walk in with a handful of West German Marks to get vouchers, you might as well just tell the Stasi, ’Hey, I’m involved in the Black Market!’"

"So what’s your method?" Werner continued to probe.

"Well..." The lanky man’s gaze shifted, clearly unwilling to say more. "Let’s just say I have my channels. Don’t ask so many questions."

An idea sparked in Werner’s mind. He asked nonchalantly, "So, these vouchers of yours, what’s the price on them?"

"One voucher goes for six to eight East German Marks. More valuable than a West German Mark," the lanky man said, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Why are the vouchers more expensive than West German Marks?"

"Ah, that’s what you don’t understand," the lanky man said smugly. "You still have to figure out a way to turn West German Marks into vouchers before you can buy anything at the special shops. But you can use the vouchers directly. Of course they’re worth more."

As Werner listened, his mind was already analyzing the business opportunities.

A pack of Marlboros sold for two foreign exchange vouchers in the special shops, but on the Black Market, you could flip it for 15 to 20 East German Marks. A bag of premium coffee cost five vouchers in the shop but could fetch 60 East German Marks on the Black Market!

Werner gasped. The profit margins were absolutely exorbitant!

He continued to press for details. "So, these vouchers... how many can you get your hands on each day?"

"That... varies." The lanky man was clearly reluctant to reveal too much. "Some days more, some days less. It depends."

"Depends on what?" Werner asked, keenly latching onto the word.

The lanky man realized he had let something slip and quickly waved a dismissive hand. "Don’t ask so many questions. Buy if you’re buying, otherwise forget it."

Werner nodded outwardly, but inside, his mind was already racing. ’This guy is clearly hiding the source of the vouchers, and his saying "it depends" means the supply is unstable.’

Connecting that to the man’s comment about not daring to exchange large amounts at the bank, Werner gradually pieced together the entire business model for Black Market foreign exchange vouchers.

’These foreign exchange vouchers... the official way to get them is by exchanging West German Marks at a bank, sure, but where would an ordinary person get West German Marks? Even if someone earned some through smuggling, they wouldn’t dare exchange a large amount for vouchers at the bank—that’s just asking for the Stasi to start watching you.’

’So, there must be two main sources for the vouchers on the Black Market.’

’First, colluding with insiders.’

’Certain bank employees or staff from the special shops. They can get their hands on vouchers, but they’d definitely charge a premium. That also explains why the lanky man said it was "risky"—if you get caught colluding with someone inside the system, it’s a dead end.’

’Second, buying them off Westerners.’

’West German tourists or other foreigners passing through. They exchange their money for vouchers at the bank but want to change any leftovers back into cash before they leave. That’s the opportunity: buy back their unused vouchers at a premium. The cost is high, but the profit from reselling is even higher.’

’That explains why the lanky man said the supply "depends"—you never know when West German tourists will show up, how many there will be, or how many vouchers they’ll have left. As for the supply from insiders, that depends on when they dare to make a move.’

The more Werner thought about it, the more his analysis made sense, and a small smile crept onto his face.

In an age of such limited information, the ability to deduce an entire supply chain from a few small clues gave him a satisfying sense of intellectual superiority.

’Looks like this trip wasn’t a waste. I didn’t just get the going rates; I figured out the entire Black Market’s business model.’

After leaving the lanky man, Werner found a small tavern, ordered the cheapest beer, and began to organize the information he’d just gathered.

’The entire profit chain is crystal clear,’ he analyzed internally.

’First step: acquire West German Marks. I don’t have a good source for them yet, but I can find one. Maybe see if Fatty Wolf has any connections, or find a way to approach Western tourists.’

’Second step: exchange the West German Marks for foreign exchange vouchers. There are channels on the Black Market. It’s risky, but the profits are massive.’

’Third step: use the vouchers to buy Western goods from the special shops. This part is also risky. Buying too much, too often, could get me reported or even attract the Stasi’s attention. I’ll need Eva’s help with this. Since she works at one of the special shops, she can do it without looking suspicious.’

’Fourth step: flip the Western goods on the Black Market for a high price.’

Werner grew more and more excited as he thought it through. ’Going by the lanky man’s prices, one West German Mark can be exchanged for five East German Marks on the Black Market. But if I convert to vouchers first, then buy and resell goods, the profit could be three to five times higher!’

’More importantly,’ Werner’s eyes gleamed with ambition, ’once the Berlin Wall goes up, this business will become an absolute monopoly! Prices will skyrocket even further then!’

’But now’s not the time,’ he thought, forcing himself to calm down. ’I don’t have enough startup capital yet.’

’The most crucial thing is finding a stable source of West German Marks.’

Werner started planning his next moves.

’First, strengthen my relationship with Fatty Wolf and see if he has any leads on earning West German Marks.’

’Second, find a way to get in contact with more Western merchants or tourists.’

’Third, build a broader network on the Black Market, especially with people who have access to foreign exchange vouchers.’

’Fourth, accumulate more capital and stockpile goods before the Berlin Wall is built to prepare for large-scale operations in the future.’

As the sun set, Werner walked out of the tavern. Watching the hurried pedestrians on the street, he felt a great ambition swell within him. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

’In my past life, I was just an ordinary office worker, but in this life, I have the chance to become a true business titan,’ he vowed to himself. ’When the Berlin Wall goes up, I’m going to become the king of the entire East Berlin Black Market!’

He imagined the scene: countless people lining up, waiting to buy Western goods from him, while he sat behind the scenes, effortlessly controlling the entire market’s prices. Officials and dignitaries alike would have to tread carefully around him.

’But first, I have to accumulate enough resources and connections before the Berlin Wall is built,’ Werner thought, clenching his fists. ’Time is short, and every day is precious.’

The Berlin Wall would be built in a few months.

’The wheels of history roll ever forward, but this time, I’m going to be standing in front of them, not get crushed beneath them.’ Werner smiled as he walked toward the setting sun, his mind already mapping out his plan for the next day.

The system’s notification chimed again:

[Achievement Unlocked: Aspiring Magnate]

[Reward: EXP +30]