Directorate X

Zersetzung

One great advantage of the harassment perpetrated under Zersetzung was that its subtle nature meant that it was able to be plausibly denied. This was important given that the GDR was trying to improve its international standing during the 1970s and 80s, especially in conjunction with the Ostpolitik of West-German chancellor Willy Brandt massively improving relations between the two German states.
Zersetzung techniques have since been adopted by other security agencies, particularly the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).