Topic: Rubber Ears

Zeger explains the "spider system" used to form underground resistance groups in East Germany. These groups were kept small and compartmentalized to prevent the Stasi from dismantling the entire network if one group was compromised. He notes that many church leaders were actually paid informants for the state security police.

To identify "rubber ears" (informants), resistance groups would organize fake protest events. Only the infiltrators would show up at the designated locations, as the core members knew the events were ruses. This allowed the patriots to identify who was reporting back to the Stasi without the risk of actual arrest.