Former MI5 & MI6 Legal Director Looks Back at His Time in Cold War Berlin (449)

Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

Ian Sanders

History, Documentary, Society & Culture

4.8 • 865 Ratings

🗓️ 28 March 2026

⏱️ 79 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Former Legal Director MI5 & MI6, David Bickford, takes us behind the scenes of one of the most unusual and precarious postings of the Cold War. Arriving in Berlin in 1979, the city is still technically under Allied occupation—surrounded by East Germany and governed through a complex web of agreements dating back to the Second World War. He recounts the day-to-day realities of maintaining access routes into the city, negotiating with the Soviets without the backing of force, and managing constant disputes over transport, tariffs, and air corridors. Against the backdrop of rising tensions following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, David reveals how fragile the balance really was—and how close things could come to escalation. We also hear extraordinary stories from inside Spandau Prison, home to Nazi war criminal Rudolf Hess, and the bizarre logistical and political challenges of managing a prison built for hundreds but housing just one inmate. With vivid personal memories, this episode offers a rare, human perspective on life at the frontline of the Cold War—where ambiguity ruled, tensions simmered, and even the smallest incident could have international consequences. Check our David’s books here https://amzn.to/4c0WfFD David's book Cold Protocol is available for pre-order for £5 using code BERLIN1979 here https://davidbickford.co.uk/shop/ Episode extras here ⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode449/⁠ Linked episodes Guarding Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s Deputy Führer https://coldwarconversations.com/episode262/ · Being present at the post-mortem of Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess https://coldwarconversations.com/episode405/ · BRIXMIS, British defence of Cold War Berlin, and Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess https://coldwarconversations.com/episode21/ · BRIXMIS episodes https://coldwarconversations.com/?s=brixmis Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/coldwardeal⁠ or use code COLDWARDEAL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Help me preserve Cold War history via a simple monthly donation, You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and receive 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 also welcome one-off tips via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION o BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Twitter/X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
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1:34.3	And the callousness of the East German Guards was extraordinary. I mean, for instance, one occasion, a young lad had slipped into the Teltsar Canal, which was a border,
1:46.9	and the East German girls didn't bother to rescue him.
1:50.3	West Germans couldn't get to him, so he drowned.
1:54.7	Former MI6 director David Bickford takes us behind the scenes of one of the most unusual and precarious postings
2:01.9	of the Cold War. Arriving in Berlin in 1979, the city is still technically under Allied
	...

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