In the CIA file "The background of Joseph Wirth", it is even claimed that Wirth was a Soviet agent. Unlike West Germany, East Germany paid Wirth a small amount of financial aid. In 1954, Wirth was awarded the East German "Peace Medal" ("Friedensmedaille"). He received the Stalin Peace Prize in 1955. According to a CIA document Wirth claimed that he met with Lavrentiy Beria and Erwin Respondek (who arranged the meeting) in Karlshorst, Berlin in December 1952. The document states Wirth said Beria asked him to work for the East German government.