Mielkes Palace (1990)

An exhibition in House 1 of the former headquarters of the Ministry for State Security (MfS). Featuring "Day X" referred to East German plans for military conquest of West Berlin during the 1970s and 80s. In the latter part of the Cold War, detailed plans existed to attack and conquer West Berlin on a moment's notice in case of a military conflict. Only the highest-ranking members of East German leadership had full knowledge of it. The plans were top-secret and did not come to lights until after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and German reunification in 1990. To head off discovery, most details were communicated only verbally. Few documents survived. Most were shredded. Only one document with Erich Mielke's handwriting survived. He was the head of the Stasi, East Germany's state security service.