“A cover name for a BND site in Munich.” That’s how some documents refer to this place. We are standing before what was once known as the Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik. It existed until 2014.
The Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik was not what it seemed. It was a cover for the BND. The Bundesnachrichtendienst is Germany’s foreign intelligence service. The Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik acted as a front for its operations.
The office’s official purpose was to gather information. It used telecommunications technology. This involved monitoring international communications. The aim was to filter important data.
The Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik was officially a federal agency. Its main office was in Stockdorf near Munich. The site also housed the Fernmeldetechnische Institut. This added to the agency’s official appearance.
The history of the Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik goes back further. It began with the Organisation Gehlen. This was the BND’s predecessor. In 1947, the first shortwave listening post was set up in Kransberg Castle. Soon after, a control center opened in Butzbach. It had 50 employees. Former employees from the Abwehr and Luftwaffe joined the team.
Leo Hepp expanded the organization’s mission. During the Berlin Blockade, the group monitored Soviet air force communications. They did this from Hohen Meißner. More listening posts were built. This helped expand their monitoring capabilities.
In 1954, the organization began using British technology. It tracked radar signals near the East German border. After Germany joined NATO, some intelligence tasks moved to the Bundeswehr. This raised questions about who was responsible for technical intelligence. It was the Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik.
Around 1950, the Horchstelle B was established in Berlin-Tempelhof. It later moved to the French sector of Berlin. From Hohen Meißner, they could monitor Soviet air force communications. This was vital during the Berlin Airlift.
The Horchstelle C was set up in Söcking near Starnberg. The Horchstelle D opened in Husum around 1956. There was also monitoring from Bremen.
Today, the Bundesnachrichtendienst’s Technical Reconnaissance Department handles technical intelligence. The BND has a strong international reputation. The Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik played a crucial role in that.
In 2011, the service checked about 2.9 million emails and SMS messages. Only 290 contained relevant material. This was a success rate of just 0.01 percent. The BND monitored less international communication. In 2010, they tracked about 38 million communications. By 2011, this number dropped to less than three million.
The BND operated field offices through cooperation agreements. Partners included the Bundeswehr, Bundesgrenzschutz, and NATO allies. Many of these sites closed after 1990. These offices were disguised as the Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik.
The Bundesstelle für Fernmeldestatistik in Munich. A key site in Germany’s intelligence history. A place of secrets hidden in plain sight.