(I asked this about a month ago and didn't have any takers, so I'm trying again.)
Schuyler Towne, a physical security YouTuber and speaker, tells the anecdote (here and here, for instance) that the Stasi deliberately compromised all locks built in or imported into the GDR so that they could gain access to any building without impediment. My Googling hasn't turned up any references at all that allude to this being true, but it's a very interesting story.
Can anyone with more knowledge of the GDR and Stasi shed any light on this?
Hi there, while I don't claim to be an expert, I have studied the GDR extensively and I have not come across this anecdote before.
It seems unlikely to me, for the following reasons:
Any goods imported into the GDR would have most likely been manufactured within the Communist Bloc, and therefore of questionable quality to begin with.
The Stasi had a huge array of techniques to gain entry into premises, from lock picking to coercion. They were extremely pervasive and their techniques sophisticated. For them to rely on shoddy locks seems highly improbable.
The Stasi were makers of their own myths. Rumours like these were not uncommon, and used to spread wider fear amongst the populace and destabilize any feeling of privacy or security.
Suggested Reading:
'Stasi: The Untold Story of the East German Secret Police'
John.O.Koehler
'Stasiland' - Anna Funder
'Man Without A face' - Markus Wolf