Tasks
The Federal Archives – Stasi Records Archive secures and preserves the documents of the GDR State Security at various locations. It makes them available to private individuals, institutions and the public in accordance with the legal provisions stipulated in the Stasi Records Act (PDF, 189 KB, Accessible file). In addition to index cards, films, audio documents and microfiches, the archives contain more than 111 kilometres of files and more than 1.7 million photos.
The preserved records of the Ministry for State Security document the methods used and information collected by the SED, the communist state party in the GDR, and the Stasi, its secret police. In many cases, they also document how the state interfered in the lives of its citizens. Access to one’s personal file can provide information about one’s fate and contribute to the rehabilitation of individuals who have been unjustly convicted. It creates the basis for transparency today with regard to concealed cooperation with the secret police in the past. It also contributes to the effort to understand the mechanisms of a dictatorship.
Making the Stasi files available to individuals, authorities and institutions entails a large amount of work. The Records Information Department processes written requests and researches individuals and topics with the help of the archivists. It also prepares the documents so that they can be viewed by the public.
Because the Stasi massively encroached on people’s rights, it is necessary to screen the documents according to strict data protection guidelines. The files are only released for specific purposes and according to special rules stipulated in the Stasi Records Act. The number of requests to view files continues to be high, and as a result of these complicated procedures, waiting times for applicants are still long.
Applicants can view files in Berlin or at one of the 13 archive locations in the eastern states. In many cases, it is also possible to have copies of documents sent.
The Stasi Records Archive is tasked with informing the public about the structure, methods and operations of the MfS and conducting source-based research. It fulfils this mission by conducting its own research into the history of the MfS and publishing its research findings in its own publications and online. Through events, exhibitions and online platforms (such as the Stasi Media Centre), the Stasi Records Archive also invites people to engage with the subject of the Stasi. The work of the Stasi Records Archive helps preserve the memory of the SED dictatorship and its victims, and documents the activities of the opposition and examples of resistance to the system.
