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Stasi files: German plan to transfer files sparks concern | Stasi files: German plan to transfer files sparks concern |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Germany's parliament has voted to transfer the secret files of the Stasi, the intelligence service in communist East Germany, to the national archives despite concerns from researchers. | Germany's parliament has voted to transfer the secret files of the Stasi, the intelligence service in communist East Germany, to the national archives despite concerns from researchers. |
Millions of files compiled on suspect citizens during the Cold War have been managed independently since the communist state collapsed. | Millions of files compiled on suspect citizens during the Cold War have been managed independently since the communist state collapsed. |
Officials says the files will be better preserved and still be accessible. | Officials says the files will be better preserved and still be accessible. |
But critics warn that "a lid will be put on history". | But critics warn that "a lid will be put on history". |
The Stasi, short for Staatssicherheit (state security), was notorious for its surveillance of East Germany's citizens, many of whom were pressed into spying on each other. | The Stasi, short for Staatssicherheit (state security), was notorious for its surveillance of East Germany's citizens, many of whom were pressed into spying on each other. |
After the Soviet-supported state collapsed in 1989, Stasi officers tried to destroy records - at first using shredders and then desperately tearing documents up by hand. | |
The Stasi's offices were stormed by groups of "citizen committees" who seized all that was left of the documents to preserve them for future generations. | The Stasi's offices were stormed by groups of "citizen committees" who seized all that was left of the documents to preserve them for future generations. |
Since then, thousands of former East German residents have been able to read what the secret police knew about their lives - and which of their friends, family and colleagues had informed on them. | Since then, thousands of former East German residents have been able to read what the secret police knew about their lives - and which of their friends, family and colleagues had informed on them. |
Following the vote in parliament, federal commissioner for the records Roland Jahn said that millions of documents could now be better preserved and digitised. At the moment only 2% of the archive is recorded digitally. | Following the vote in parliament, federal commissioner for the records Roland Jahn said that millions of documents could now be better preserved and digitised. At the moment only 2% of the archive is recorded digitally. |
He also promised that the files would still be accessible to historians, journalists and former victims of the Stasi. | He also promised that the files would still be accessible to historians, journalists and former victims of the Stasi. |
He said he aimed to make the documents "fit for the future as we can tap the expertise, technology and resources under the roof of the Federal Archives". | He said he aimed to make the documents "fit for the future as we can tap the expertise, technology and resources under the roof of the Federal Archives". |
"We are sending the message that on the 30th anniversary [of the fall of East Germany in 1989] we have this symbol of the peaceful revolution - that is, the access to the files and the possibility to use them - and that is something that we are securing permanently," he told broadcaster Deutschlandfunk. | |
However, critics fear that under federal control the archive will be less accessible and that the move is an attempt to draw a line under the communist regime. | However, critics fear that under federal control the archive will be less accessible and that the move is an attempt to draw a line under the communist regime. |
One support group for former Stasi victims said it feared the oversight of the files could be subject to political whims and that potentially embarrassing information could be hushed up. | One support group for former Stasi victims said it feared the oversight of the files could be subject to political whims and that potentially embarrassing information could be hushed up. |
Werner Schulz, a former regime critic and now a member of the Greens party in the European Parliament, said he feared that "a lid will be put on history". | Werner Schulz, a former regime critic and now a member of the Greens party in the European Parliament, said he feared that "a lid will be put on history". |
Historian Hubertus Knabe also cautioned that Stasi files authority - the largest institution for dealing with East Germany's past - would no longer exist after 2021 when the transfer takes place. | |
"The signal being sent to many victims of the East German secret services is that the political establishment wants to draw a line under it," he told Bild newspaper. | "The signal being sent to many victims of the East German secret services is that the political establishment wants to draw a line under it," he told Bild newspaper. |
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