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A page of the Stasi Records Act

A page of the Stasi Records Act which forms the legal basis for the work of the Federal Commissioner., Source: BStU / Böttcher

Legal Basis

The Stasi Records Act (StUG) together with the Federal Archives Act (BArchG) form the legal basis for access to Stasi records. A cost ordinance regulates whether and to what extent fees and expenses are to be paid for access to files.

The law on the records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic, or Stasi Records Act (StUG) for short, was passed by the German Bundestag on November 14, 1991. Together with the Federal Archives Act, it is the legal basis for access to Stasi records and defines the various conditions for their use. The law is the basis for the work of the Federal Archives - Stasi Records Archive.

Please visit our German website for the cost ordinance. Only the German text is legally binding.

Stasi Records Act