The Wikipedia entry is just a tiny part of a huge story that deserves far more to be written. I hope to add far more as time goes on, and invite others to do the same.

"Radio Berlin International was the international broadcaster for the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). It started in May 1959 to counter Deutsche Welle, the West German international broadcaster. Much of its output was news reports and information about the GDR. It offered a very professional and much more balanced (compared to other Eastern European broadcasters) perspective on life in a socialist country. It send large quantities of very colorful and professionally produced publicity materials about life in the GDR to its listeners. The broadcaster ceased operations on 2 October 1990 following German reunification. The final broadcast was noted for the bitterness among some RBI staff about its "takeover", rather than "unification" with Deutsche Welle. The last words were, "This is Ginger. Good bye and good luck."

Radio Berlin broadcast in many languages, with many of its announcers at the different services — such as English, French and even Danish — coming from their country's respective communist parties. It was one of the major international broadcasters of the Cold War era. From 1970 until 1974 its programs were rebroadcast by Radio North Sea International between 03:00 and 06:00."

RBI Intro, GDR National Anthem, and The End by The Doors

http://www.profileplaylist.net/mc/mp3player-othersite.swf?config=http://www.profileplaylist.net/mc/config/config_black_autostart.xml&mywidth=435&myheight=270&playlist_url=http://www.profileplaylist.net/loadplaylist.php?playlist=25803184"

MIA. - Auferstanden aus Ruinen

Or if you prefer this version

The CIA were particularly interested in Americans at RBI, particularly those involved with the Ops Outpost Station programmes.

They made lots of recordings held in the US National Archives. The names mentioned that I could find - George Lohr, Jerry Randall, Linda Cooper, Barbara Moreley, Bob Reid, Allan Ladd, George Fox, Bob Ross, Bob Amsterdam, Red Pierce, Jonaton Curtis, Kerru Randall, Bert Pierce, Willi Hermann, Bill Cassidy, Bert Grimms, Dick Larson, and Bob Rees.

It looks like the CIA recorded just aout everything it could in the early 60s.

Streng Geheim - For Eyes Only
02:01

Synopsis:

The "Concordia" trading company in Würzburg is a secret headquarters of the MID, a secret service agency of the US Army. For years, espionage, sabotage, and diversion operations originated from here in order to undermine the German Democratic Republic. A favorable moment for a military attack approaches and plans are developed. These plans are placed in the hands of Major Collins, who keeps them in a safe. Hansen has worked for him for many years, but also for the Stasi as a double agent. Security Chief Colonel Rock knows there is a leak, but Hansen has passed every test thrown at him. He is trying to deal with his current assignment: acquiring the plans ('The Grey Book') so they can be made public. His mission is to get them out of the safe and into the GDR without getting caught..."

1963, b/w, 103 min. Feature
Dir.: Janos Veiczi
Script: Harry Thürk
Camera: Karl Plintzner
Music: Günter Hauk
Cast: Alfred Müller, Helmut Schreiber. Ivan Palec, Hans Lucke, Werner Lierck, Martin Flörchinger, Peter Marx.

This clip:
Billy Mullis, Victor Grossman, Perry Friedman, Hans Luecke, and Helmut Schreiber are in this clip.

It seems quite a few RBI staff had sidelines as movie stars!

Billy Mullis - Coyote - worked for the North America section of RBI from 1961-77. During that time he extentivally interviewed WaBun Inini of the American Indian movement (AIM) for RBI. He has the recordings on his Coyote Speaks website.

Many thanks to our friend Radio Fan for having his tapes of RBI flown around the world, and getting them online.

Listening to the broadcast has answered a few questions. Firstly .... I got the date wrong. The last broadcast was on the 2nd Oct 1990 not the 3rd. Secondly ... The last words of Robin Mitchell did not say "This is Ginger ..." before playing The End by The Doors. He said "... take care and good luck". Interestingly he also played "The party's over. Time to call it a day." during the programme.

It was an emotional experience listening to this broadcast for the first time after 18 years, as it was on the day. The station was a voice of hope and inspiration for many around the world. That spirit will carry on through generations, and was not in vain.

This is the final broadcast of RBI.

Part One

Part Two

To help with some background to why Radio Berlin International came into being I have scanned and made a website from a book written in 1978 by an old friend of mine, Ernie Trory.

Please have a look, and let me know what you think.

Socialism in Germany - A short history of the German Democratic Republic

A little humourous taster from the 20th Anniversary issue of DGR

SARTORIAL NOTES FROM ALL OVER

"Mr John Peet, a British journalist who chose Soviet freedom three years ago, surprised East and West alike and himself most of all by turning up (at a press reception) in dinner dress, the only one to be seen in the assembly,"

("News Chronicle", London, February 1st 1954)

"John Peet was present (at the reception mentioned above, JP). According to his former colleagues he had changed from a correct and sartorially exquisite Briton into a shabby East German,"

("Algemeen Handelsblad", Holland, February 4th 1954)

"From year to year Peet has been becoming more and more proletarianised ...

"Since the middle of last week he once again wears a fashionable checked waistcoat as he used to do,"

("Spiegel", West Germany, February 2nd 1954)

"John Peet ... a humorous, attractive, untidy man in his early fifties ... His suit was nondescript,"

("Daily Telegraph Magazine", July 23rd 1971)

Hannelore Steer holds degrees in African studies and cultural studies. Her first job was as a foreign-language editor at Radio Berlin International (RBI). In early 1990, Hannelore was chosen to be editor-in-chief of RBI. In the same year, she was appointed to be programming director of Funkhaus Berlin. Since January 1992, Hannelore has been working at ORB, first as a production director and then, from 1992 to 1996, as editor-in-chief of Antenne Brandenburg. Starting in July 1996, she served as director of radio production and deputy director of ORB. On May 5, 2003, Hannelore was chosen to be director of radio production for the two-state institution Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg. Since September 8, 2004, she has been the station’s deputy director.

In March 2003, Hannelore was recognized with the Verdienstkreuz, one of Germany’s highest awards for accomplishments in political, business, and cultural activities.

http://www.medienwoche.de/WebObjects/Medienboard.woa/wa/CMSshow/1384221

This is interesting as it sets the scene of how, and why,  the DDR came to be established.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVvASXvgsEw

(I dont seem to be able to embed videos - very strange)

CIA and the Nazis 1946

Another GDR actor of great longevity is Walter Niklaus, who presented the 1966 short documentary 'RBI - Radio Berlin International'. He was born in Cologne in 1925. He starred in lots of movies and TV series. His last recorded work was 'Sherlock Holmes spricht deutsch. Ein Interview mit Walter Niklaus' in 2007.

He played a huge range of characters, but was best know as CIA agent Wilson in 'Das Unsichtbare Visier' TV spy series in the 70s. In the 60s he was director of the radio drama department for GDR radio based in Leipzig.

Maybe he will make it to over 100 years too!