Mike Pritchard is an Australia-based espionage expert and writer. He displays an extraordinary array of secret gadgets, giving visitors a unique opportunity to peer behind the curtain of Cold War espionage. One of his most hypnotizing artefacts, however, is a bra-smuggling device. It was brilliantly conceived by women employed by the Stasi, East Germany’s infamous secret police. This unique and glorious creation proved what fabulous, artistic minds were put together. It serves as an unusual artifact from the era when surveillance and secrecy created the environment of East Germany.
Pritchard’s fascination with espionage draws him into an obsession to acquire more than 1,600 artefacts. Among them is the rather more prurient bra concealment, which he discreetly shows off to the bemused passerby. In terms of design execution, he calls the bra concealment “very nicely done.” It celebrates the palpable creative energy of all the women who built it in the Cold War capital’s heyday. The Stasi was indispensable to the survival of the East German police state. They did it through extraordinary and invasive surveillance tactics, eroding the civil liberties of citizens under the guise of ensuring national security.
The Craftsmanship Behind Espionage
The bra concealment device is a perfect example of the extreme measures that the Stasi would take to obtain information. According to Pritchard, “The women took a spring-powered camera, the Ajax camera, and mounted it inside a bra, and it was a success.” This unique fix is a testament to the creativity often needed in a field that traditionally shrouded its work in stealth and camouflage.
Pritchard has a whimsical Stasi camera just disguised to blend in with the flowers in this planter. The hidden lens highlights the aesthetic technology deployed to surveil the public. He underscores that most objects in his collection were under “kill orders,” which sought to erase all traces of their existence.
“It’s extraordinary to have examples that survived because someone didn’t follow orders and didn’t destroy it,” he noted. These artefacts, including some that survived in Ukraine’s Krakovets border crossing checking shack, supported the fight back against oppressive regimes. They help give us insight into a dark chapter in American history.
A Vision for the Future
Pritchard hopes the independent Sydney-based public museum he plans will one day house a collection of recently declassified Australian espionage artefacts. He hopes to save and present historical objects such as the bra concealment and to offer surprising educational experiences to visitors. “The plan is to open an independent public museum — a home to protect these artefacts, display them in context and deliver educational programs,” he stated.
His collection is equally a showcase of these technological marvels of their time, and a window into these ethical considerations that are emerging with surveillance. Pritchard admits that concealment technology has come a long way, with modern capabilities perhaps ever so slightly less fun than a pinhead miniaturization. This evolution has serious implications for privacy and security in our modern society.
Pritchard watches over three cipher machines in his basement. These devices, created primarily by the Nazis, significantly add to the historical importance of his collection. He reflects on the importance of preserving these items, stating, “Usually this technology is developed in secret, used in secret and destroyed at the end of its life.”
Fascination with Espionage
People seem to be most surprised when they come to see Pritchard’s collection, especially the bra concealment device. “It’s actually not my favourite machine, but it’s the one that everybody knows. When I bring these kinds of machines out to the public, people are just captivated,” he told us. Such response is a reminder of the public’s long-standing fascination with espionage and its elaborate gadgets.
Pritchard doesn’t think that these relics are just historical artifacts. They are mighty conduits for learning about human behavior and societal dynamics during the Cold War. “They are very interesting relics from the Cold War and nicely executed,” he added.
