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Hungary Releases Communist-Era Secret Police Files, Revealing Up to 60,000 Informants
Key points
- Hungary released communist-era secret police files.
- Up to 60,000 informants were identified.
- Public access to records from before 1990 is now unrestricted.
- The disclosure includes agent registration sheets and recruitment registers.
Files Disclosed After Decades
Hungary released communist-era secret police files on Wednesday, identifying up to 60,000 informants. This action provides a path for Hungary to address its repressive past, as previous efforts to disclose these archives had failed since the democratic transition in 1990.
Unrestricted Public Access
Prime Minister Peter Magyar initiated a bill in September to grant unrestricted public access to these records for the first time. Magyar stated that this fulfills a key promise of the 1990 regime change, which had been delayed for 36 years. He noted that past restrictions on public access led to political hysteria, blackmail, and pressure.
Details of the Revelations
The disclosed registries include names of politicians, clergy members, and TV personalities, though a large proportion of informants were not prominent public figures. The government plans to offer emotional support hotlines for those affected by the revelations. Magyar requested that the disclosure be treated with dignity and humanity, acknowledging the difficulty it may present for many families.
Types of Documents Released
Under the new law, four types of state security records from before 1990 are now freely accessible. Three of these became available on the nyitottaktak.hu website. These include the "6 card," which is an agent registration sheet containing identifying data, activity details, and motivations for becoming an agent. A register of recruitment from 1957 to 1962 and a database of former agents' personal data and code names were also released, collectively making 50,000 to 60,000 agent names public.
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Reporting from
Hungary has released communist-era secret police files, making public the identities of up to 60,000 informants. This disclosure provides unrestricted public access to records from before 1990, fulfilling a promise from the 1990 regime change.