How Semiconductors Ruined East Germany
AsianometryRecommended by 2 HN commenters across 2 months, 2023–2024
documentary · general · evergreen · 2023–2024 on HN
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.
HN commenters share it in chip fab and industrial espionage threads as a well-researched account of East Germany's failed microelectronics effort.
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4 comments from Hacker News
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)
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
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
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