The Stasi Records Archive and the Poel Island Tourist Board invite you to a lecture and discussion on October 15
Last year, F.C. Hansa Rostock celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding. This was a good opportunity to reflect on the soccer club’s situation in the GDR and just how strong the political and ideological influence was during that time. The Ministry for State Security was always present on the soccer field. Stasi files document how players, teams, club management, and fan clubs were constantly monitored. The surveillance focused primarily on the “sports travel squads.” In addition to the players, supporters of F.C. Hansa Rostock were also observed. So-called “hostile-negative fan groups” were to be “undermined” with the help of unofficial collaborators from within the club.
The Federal Archives—Stasi Records Archive in Rostock, in collaboration with the Poel Island Tourist Board, invites you to a lecture in Kirchdorf on October 15, 2026. The speaker, Dr. Volker Höffer, is a historian, director of the Stasi Records Archive in Rostock, and a former youth player for F.C. Hansa Rostock. Following the lecture, there will be an opportunity for a discussion with the audience.