Cathedral used as Cold War listening post

THE Roman Catholic Church in Bavaria is demanding answers after it emerged that West German intelligence agents installed a secret listening post in a cathedral in Munich during the Cold War.

The twin towers of the Frauenkirche cathedral, with their distinctive domed tops, have long been a symbol of Germany’s third city. But a few days ago it emerged that, unknown even to church authorities, the north tower contains a secret radio antenna and listening post.

The equipment was installed by West Germany’s BND intelligence service to monitor suspected spies and foreign diplomats, according to a report in Der Spiegel magazine.

Catholic leaders have demanded the removal of the equipment and an explanation of what the intelligence services were up to. “I am in talks with the BND about having the system dismantled,” Lorenz Wolf, the dean of the cathedral, told Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. “We will not tolerate interception in the cathedral tower.”

Fr Wolf said he understood that the antenna is no longer in use. But Der Spiegel quoted a former BND officer as saying the tower was also used by another unidentified “authority” at the time and may still be today.