I'm a Profiteer in Cold War Germany

Ten minutes later, the two of them were seated in a corner of the People’s Cafe.

The cafe’s decor was still stuck in the pre-war era, its dark wooden tables and chairs exuding a sense of age. The waitress was a heavy-set woman in her fifties, the hardships of life etched on her face.

"Two coffees," Anna said to the waitress.

"I’m sorry, we’re out of coffee." The waitress shook her head. "We have malt substitute coffee and black tea."

"Black tea, then," Anna nodded.

Werner covertly observed the young Stasi inspector.

He could tell at a glance she wasn’t an ordinary citizen of East Germany. Her last sentence had given away her background—only a Westerner or a member of the privileged class could casually order "two coffees."

"What can I do for you?" Werner got straight to the point.

"Let’s just use the informal ’you’," Anna said, then lifted her teacup, took a light sip, and frowned. The tea was clearly not to her liking.

Werner nodded, breathing a quiet sigh of relief internally.

In German, there are two different words for "you." Generally, the formal "you" is used to show respect when addressing strangers, elders, or people of high status.

The informal "you" is more common among young people and implies more familiarity.

As a government employee, it was perfectly appropriate for an ordinary citizen like Werner to address Anna with the formal "you."

But Anna had taken the initiative to suggest the informal "you." This meant she wasn’t the type of government official to put on airs, or at least, that she wanted to appear friendly to Werner during this conversation.

"Inspector Vonke told me you’re a very interesting person." She put down her teacup and looked directly into Werner’s eyes. "An ordinary factory worker who always manages to get his hands on some... special goods."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Werner said, his expression unchanged.

"The coffee, for instance." A slight smile touched Anna’s lips. "Inspector Vonke said your explanation was very creative—that it was all gifts from friends."

Werner’s fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop, a habitual motion when he was thinking.

’This woman clearly knows a lot, but why did she come to see me alone?’

"Inspector, if you’re here to arrest me, then please get on with it," Werner said. "If not, then I’d like to know what you really want."

Anna was amused by his directness and laughed.

"You’re very interesting, Werner. Most people tremble with fear when they face us, but you’re so calm."

"Fear doesn’t solve anything," Werner said. "Besides, I’m sure you’re not here to arrest me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have chosen to meet in a cafe."

"Clever." Anna nodded. "You’re right, I’m not here to arrest you. On the contrary, I think we might have a basis for cooperation."

Werner raised an eyebrow. ’Someone from the Stasi wants to cooperate? This sounds like a trap.’

"What kind of cooperation?"

Anna glanced around, making sure no one was eavesdropping, then lowered her voice. "Did you know, the Stasi isn’t a single, solid block."

This sentence truly put Werner on high alert.

’A Stasi inspector is actually revealing internal information to an outsider?’

"I don’t understand what you mean."

"Inspector Vonke represents the old guard. Their way of thinking is still stuck in the fifties," Anna continued. "But the new generation of cadres, myself included, we believe the current methods are too rigid."

Werner didn’t reply, just listened quietly.

"East Germany needs to develop, to modernize." Anna’s tone was laced with a hint of temptation. "And that requires more flexible policies, more... exchange with the West."

"So?" Werner asked.

"So we need to understand the situation in the West. We need to know their needs, their way of thinking." Anna looked at Werner. "And you, Werner, obviously have a lot of experience in that area."

Werner finally understood.

This woman was testing him, seeing if she could develop him into an informant.

But her method was unusual. It wasn’t threats or bribes, but an attempt to find common ground.

"You want me to provide you with intelligence?" Werner asked.

"Not for me. For the future of East Germany," Anna corrected him. "I know you often go to West Berlin, and you understand the situation there. That information is very valuable to us."

Werner was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "And if I refuse?"

"Then you continue with your life, and I won’t bother you," Anna said. "But if you agree, I can guarantee that your... business won’t face too much interference." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

It was a blatant transaction.

Werner quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

’Having a protector within the Stasi would certainly help my business. But if I get dragged into a political struggle, the consequences could be unimaginable.’

"I need to think about it," Werner said.

"Of course. A decision this important shouldn’t be made hastily." Anna took a business card from her handbag. "This is my contact information. You can reach me when you’ve made up your mind."

Werner took the card. It had only a phone number, nothing else.

"One more thing," Anna said, standing up. "If anyone asks about our meeting today, just say I was asking about some details from the last search."

"Understood," Werner nodded.

After Anna left, Werner sat alone in the cafe, toying with the business card in his hand.

This Anna Claus was clearly not a simple person. Her appearance had given Werner some new speculations about the internal state of the Stasi.

The streets of East Berlin remained bleak. The same goods were displayed in shop windows, and the same weary expressions were worn by the pedestrians.

Anna’s offer of cooperation could be an opportunity, or it could be a trap.

But no matter what, he had to continue his business.

In this era, the only way to survive was to keep moving forward.

「East Berlin, Mitte District.」

Werner Betelich, carrying an exquisite leather briefcase, walked into an apartment building.

The hallway was lined with a deep red carpet, and several propaganda posters celebrating socialist construction hung on the walls.

It was a stark contrast to the bare concrete walls of an ordinary worker’s residence. Every detail here reeked of privilege.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Werner tapped lightly on the door.

"Coming!" a young man’s voice called from inside.

The door opened to reveal a boy of about fifteen or sixteen.

He had curly blond hair and was wearing a fine-quality sweater. His face held the kind of innocent air that only a pampered child could possess.

"Mr. Betelich! Please, come in." Martin stepped aside excitedly. "I’ve been waiting for this day for so long."

Werner walked into the living room, carrying the briefcase.

"Sit, sit." Martin gestured enthusiastically. "Would you like something to drink? We have real Coca-Cola."

"No, thank you." Werner sat on the sofa and glanced around the luxurious living room.

’So this is East Germany’s privileged class,’ Werner thought. ’They preach equality but privately enjoy a luxurious lifestyle that ordinary people can’t even dream of.’

"Did you get the radio?" Martin asked in a hushed voice.