2 HN users recommended this documentary2 months2023–2024score 2
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN commenters share it in chip fab and industrial espionage threads as a well-researched account of East Germany's failed microelectronics effort.
Asianometry examines how East Germany tried and failed to build a native semiconductor industry despite heavy investment, including the espionage involved in acquiring Western microelectronics technology.
“this is a well researched video by Asianometry, which actually contains a couple of details (unlike the Politico article) about the spycraft involved” (HN, 2024)
Just want to share these relevant videos from Asianometry: How Semiconductors Ruined East Germany [this video] Why Europe Lost Semiconductors [link] Europe’s Lost Decades in Semiconductors [link]
Relevant Asianometry video on East German semiconductors.
Regarding the microelectronics industry behind the Iron Curtain, this is a well researched video by Asianometry, which actually contains a couple of details (unlike the Politico article) about the spycraft involved: [this video] (based on the first-person account book 'Deckname Saale' by Gerhardt Ronneberger)
Well-researched account of East German microelectronics spycraft, based on a first-person book.
China is willing to point a firehose of resouroces at development targets, but that doesn't guarantee success. Semiconductors are really stinking hard! East Germany famously tried really hard to develop a native capability, but failed and wound up smuggling parts from the west and running years behind western firms: [this video] China is more willing to both reward and hold senior stakeholders responsible, as long as they aren't too closely allied with Xi
Example of East Germany failing despite heavy investment.
I weep for the Chinese researchers never getting funding and a moment in the sun, cause a incompetent secret service/insecure government prefers copying. [this video]
Linked as an example of copying-over-innovation in chip espionage history.
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