The invisible hand at the heart of Africa – West German intelligence operations and the early state-building process of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

ABSTRACT On 30 June 1960, the colony Belgian Congo became independent. Only a few weeks later, controversies between the country’s political parties – that already had been simmering for some while – escalated. The famous Congo Crisis erupted. Subsequently, several Western and Eastern powers increased their intelligence operations at the heart of Africa. Amongst them: the Federal Republic of Germany. In early 1961, the Adenauer government ordered its foreign intelligence service, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), to initiate one of its largest Africa operations of the 1960s – regarding its funds comparable to that of the CIA. By weakening the Congo’s opposition, strengthening its army and air force, and manipulating its public opinion the BND made a significant contribution to end the Congo Crisis and helped to create a unified Congolese state on Western terms.