 One thing which Gerstner's memoires conspicuously fail to mention, but which became clear when investigators reviewed the relevant files in the Stasi archives after reunification, is that by the time he was released by the Soviets in January 1946 he had already been signed up by Soviet intelligence as an "agent".He also submitted an application to join the newly reinstated German Communist Party.The application appears to have been rejected on account of his Nazi Party membership during the Hitler years, however.