Doped, Abused and Abandoned: Growing Up in East Germany’s Sports System (400)

Doped, Abused and Abandoned: Growing Up in East Germany’s Sports System (400)

This episode covers themes of physical and emotional abuse as well as suicide. If you need support please follow the links below. UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ Rest of the World https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp Kerstin recounts her harrowing childhood and life experiences in East Germany. She was identified at a young age for elite sports training, which led to intense gymnastics regimens, physical and emotional abuse, and state-sponsored doping. When she was dismissed from the sports program without warning she was left isolated and struggling with identity loss. Her personal life deteriorated further after her father’s death, and she turned to alcohol and self-destructive behaviour. Despite enduring severe trauma, Kerstin ultimately found healing and reconciliation with her past. She received state compensation for the doping-related damage to her health, repaired her relationship with her mother, and now shares her story to ensure the dark realities of the East German regime are not forgotten. Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode400/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(453)

With the US 1st Armored Division in Cold War West Germany (414)

With the US 1st Armored Division in Cold War West Germany (414)

Doug and Mike served in CS Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor in the US 1st Armored Division in West Germany. They provide vivid accounts of their basic training experiences, where they faced the rig...

25 Jul 20251h 16min

Cold War Short Stories  Ep 1 (413)

Cold War Short Stories Ep 1 (413)

Welcome to a new type of episode I'm calling Cold War Short Stories — a collection of stories from our listeners and social media followers. These are fascinating Cold War tales that may not fill a f...

22 Jul 202516min

Korea: War Without End (412)

Korea: War Without End (412)

The Korean War is often called "the forgotten war"—a brutal, complex conflict that claimed millions of lives but has largely faded from public memory, particularly in the West. Yet its consequences ar...

18 Jul 20251h 11min

The Night a Nuclear Missile Exploded: A Firsthand Account of Survival (411)

The Night a Nuclear Missile Exploded: A Firsthand Account of Survival (411)

In this gripping episode, we hear the harrowing account of Greg Devlin, a former US Air Force technician who barely survived a catastrophic explosion at a Titan II nuclear missile silo in 1980. He sh...

11 Jul 20251h 16min

The Cold War Origins of the War in Ukraine (410)

The Cold War Origins of the War in Ukraine (410)

The legacy of the Cold War in Europe continues to impact present day events, most notably in Ukraine. In this episode I speak with author Stephan Kieninger about his new book Securing Peace in Euro...

4 Jul 202555min

The End of  East Germany: A Communist Family’s Journey Through Change (409)

The End of East Germany: A Communist Family’s Journey Through Change (409)

This is the story of a Communist family in East Germany whose world was turned upside down by the implosion of the GDR. The story is told by Katja Hesse, whose father was a Vice Admiral in the Volk...

27 Jun 20251h 4min

The Spy in the KGB  Archive (408)

The Spy in the KGB Archive (408)

The story of how one man—a librarian for the KGB—became a traitor to the intelligence agency, stealing the most prized Soviet-era archives and smuggling them to the West. Historian and journalist Gor...

20 Jun 202557min

Memories of an East German Naval Officer's Family (407)

Memories of an East German Naval Officer's Family (407)

Katja Hesse, daughter of Vice Admiral Gustav Hesse of the East German Navy, shares her deeply personal story of growing up behind the Iron Curtain. In this fascinating conversation, Katja provides...

13 Jun 20251h 13min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
konspirasjonspodden
popradet
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
wolfgang-wee-uncut
grenselos
min-barneoppdragelse
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
synnve-og-vanessa
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
fladseth
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
198-land-med-einar-trnquist