Exhibitions and Museum - Stasi Records Archive

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In the background you see a woman with a child who use the touchscreen." height="500" width="1440"></picture> <figcaption class="toggle"> <button> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span class="is-invisible"> Show image description </span> </button> <p> The new exhibition rooms in Lichtenberg, Source: <abbr title="Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">BStU</abbr> / Popa </p> </figcaption> </figure> <header> <h1 class="exclude-from-search"> Exhibitions and Museum </h1> </header> </div> </div>   <div class="article-content is-narrow"> <h2 id="c52548" tabindex="0"> Access to Secrecy </h2> <p>An oversized „walk-in file“, an original index card paternoster, a sculpture of files – the exhibition shows the collection of information violating human rights and the effect the <abbr title="German Democratic Repubic" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">GDR</abbr> secret police had on people’s lives.<br> Over four floors the exhibition illustrates the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> Records Archive‘s current tasks and leads back in time to when the Secret Police created the files.</p> </div> <div class="article-content is-narrow"> <h2 id="c52547" tabindex="0"> Guided Tours </h2> <p>At the moment there are no regular public tours in English. For groups of five or more, you are welcome to request a tour date.</p> <p>For more information please visit <a href="https://www.einblick-ins-geheime.de/" title="External Link to the website of Einblick ins Geheime: www.einblick-ins-geheime.de (opens in a new window)" target="_blank" class="arrow-up-right">www.einblick-ins-geheime.de</a>.</p> </div> <div class="article-content is-narrow"> <h3>Opening Hours</h3> <p>Monday - Friday: 10 am - 6 pm<br> Saturday and Friday: 11 am - 6 pm</p> </div> <section class="consent-overlay" aria-labelledby="heading-c52545" data-consent-type="maps" tabindex="-1"> <div class="consent-overlay__opt-in"> <div class="consent-overlay__description"> <span class="consent-overlay__heading"> <strong id="heading-c52545">Google maps</strong> </span> <p>Based on your cookie settings, we have blocked the connection to Google maps. 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Here you can deactivate the content:</span> <button data-revoke=""> <span class="sr-only">deactivate content</span> </button> </div> </section> <section class="gallery" data-type="grid" data-columns="3"> <div class="inner"> <ul class="items"> <li class="item"> <div class="media"> <figure> <button class="lightbox-toggle" role="button" tabindex="0" aria-label="Open image in a lightbox" data-size="1000x667" data-src="https://www.bundesarchiv.de/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/6/4/csm_einblick-ins-geheime-hebelschubanlage_f77038a939.jpg" data-title=""> <picture><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/6/4/csm_einblick-ins-geheime-hebelschubanlage_14471a2cab.jpg" media="(max-width: 600px)" type="image/jpeg"><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/6/4/csm_einblick-ins-geheime-hebelschubanlage_f842fb10d2.jpg" media="(max-width: 900px)" type="image/jpeg"> <img src="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/6/4/csm_einblick-ins-geheime-hebelschubanlage_f7c0eaa840.jpg" title="" alt="The exhibition shows the collection of information violating human rights." height="310" width="413"></picture> </button> <figcaption> <small><span>The exhibition shows the collection of information violating human rights.</span><span>Source: BStU / Mulders</span></small> </figcaption> <div class="expand-btn"> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> </div> </figure> </div> </li><li class="item"> <div class="media"> <figure> <button class="lightbox-toggle" role="button" tabindex="0" aria-label="Open image in a lightbox" data-size="1000x667" data-src="https://www.bundesarchiv.de/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/7/d/csm_einblick-ins-geheime_aktenstapel_5a99b26e30.jpg" data-title="The new exhibition rooms in Lichtenberg"> <picture><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/7/d/csm_einblick-ins-geheime_aktenstapel_9fa8cf9f57.jpg" media="(max-width: 600px)" type="image/jpeg"><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/7/d/csm_einblick-ins-geheime_aktenstapel_0273a9bf99.jpg" media="(max-width: 900px)" type="image/jpeg"> <img src="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/7/d/csm_einblick-ins-geheime_aktenstapel_73a64b884f.jpg" title="The new exhibition rooms in Lichtenberg" alt="A recreated pile of files is in the centre of one of the exhibition rooms. In the background you see a woman with a child who use the touchscreen." height="310" width="413"></picture> </button> <figcaption> <small><span>A recreated pile of files is in the centre of one of the exhibition rooms.</span><span>Source: <abbr title="Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">BStU</abbr> / Popa</span></small> </figcaption> <div class="expand-btn"> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> </div> </figure> </div> </li><li class="item"> <div class="media"> <figure> <button class="lightbox-toggle" role="button" tabindex="0" aria-label="Open image in a lightbox" data-size="1000x588" data-src="https://www.bundesarchiv.de/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/f/a/csm_einblick-ins-geheime_fuehrung_1c3ca3b659.jpg" data-title=""> <picture><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/f/a/csm_einblick-ins-geheime_fuehrung_5aeb0f20a2.jpg" media="(max-width: 600px)" type="image/jpeg"><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/f/a/csm_einblick-ins-geheime_fuehrung_c36f02a4e4.jpg" media="(max-width: 900px)" type="image/jpeg"> <img src="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/f/a/csm_einblick-ins-geheime_fuehrung_d6b14de301.jpg" title="" alt="A tour through the exhibition. Visitors can see an original index card paternoster." height="310" width="413"></picture> </button> <figcaption> <small><span>A tour through the exhibition. Visitors can see an original index card paternoster.</span><span>Source: BStU / Mulders</span></small> </figcaption> <div class="expand-btn"> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> </div> </figure> </div> </li></ul> </div> </section> <div class="article-content"> <h2 id="c52543" tabindex="0"> State Security in the <abbr title="Socialist Unity Party of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">SED</abbr>-Dictatorship </h2> <div class="columns sticky-columns"> <div class="column"> <p>"Haus 1", the former seat of the Minister for State Security Erich Mielke and now the seat of the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr>-Museum houses the permanent exhibition "State Security in the <abbr title="Socialist Unity Party of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">SED</abbr>-Dictatorship". At the historic site it gives an overview over the structure, methods and effects of the Ministry for State Security (<abbr title="Ministry for State Security" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">MfS</abbr>), the secret police of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (<abbr title="Socialist Unity Party of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">SED</abbr>).</p> <p>The <abbr title="Ministry for State Security" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">MfS</abbr>, colloquially known as the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr>, was charged with securing the power of the <abbr title="Socialist Unity Party of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">SED</abbr>. Under the one-party rule of the <abbr title="Socialist Unity Party of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">SED</abbr> from 1949 - 1989 the state was considered the party's property, no other political force ever came into power and the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> was charged with safeguarding the iron grip the <abbr title="Socialist Unity Party of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">SED</abbr> had on the state and its institutions.</p> <p>What turned the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> into a secret police was its all-encompassing, largely unchecked power. It acted as an intelligence service, a police force and a prosecutor, organized in a military hierarchy. Its main object of activity were the citizens of East Germany. Through surveillance, persecution, ostracism and force, it persecuted those considered "enemy-negative elements" and with that set examples for the rest of society to comply and adapt to the will of the party. It considered itself "shield and sword of the party" and was a force that permeated the everyday life in East Germany.</p> <p>By educating about the history and methods of the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> the exhibition renders obvious why the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> became such a central focus during the Peaceful Revolution of 1989/1990 and its disempowerment a central goal for the people.</p> <p> </p> </div> <div class="column"> <figure> <picture><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/0/4/csm_house-1_aisle_63c1c1a321.jpg" media="(max-width: 600px)" type="image/jpeg"><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/0/4/csm_house-1_aisle_58e3bd47af.jpg" media="(max-width: 900px)" type="image/jpeg"> <img src="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/0/4/csm_house-1_aisle_4ad46090f6.jpg" title="House 1 aisle" alt="Third floor of the new exhibition "State Security in the SED-Dictatorship" - Photos of Stasi officers at work. A visitor is looking at the photos. " height="436" width="580"></picture> <figcaption> <small><span>Third floor of the new exhibition "State Security in the <abbr title="Socialist Unity Party of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">SED</abbr>-Dictatorship" - Photos of <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> officers at work.</span><span>Source: <abbr title="Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">BStU</abbr> / Kulick</span></small> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> <div class="article-content"> <div class="columns sticky-columns"> <div class="column"> <p>Over three floors the exhibition gives insight into who worked for the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> and why they joined, how the everyday task of finding "enemies" amongst one’s own people was carried out and how in specific cases the persecution of such "enemies" was executed.</p> <p>The second floor displays an authentic preservation of the original offices of the Minister for State Security, Erich Mielke, including his private chamber and big conference room.</p> <p>One central means of information gathering for the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> was the recruitment and implementation of unofficial collaborators (in German abbreviated as "IM"). The <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> looked for people of all walks of life in any type of profession or circumstance to be secretly recruited to deliver information about other citizens. The exhibition explains the broad spectrum of unofficial collaboration and how the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> officers skillfully lead their moles to further their goal: the maintenance of power of the <abbr title="Socialist Unity Party of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">SED</abbr>.</p> <p>Many documents from the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> Records Archive as well as photo and film records illustrate the inner working of the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> on the basis their own documentation. Among them educational films of the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr>, speeches by Stasiminister Erich Mielke or photographs from the everyday life in the Ministry.</p> <p>The permanent exhibition was jointly developed by the Stasi Records Archive and the citizens’ assocication ASTAK e.V. who runs the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> Museum as a whole. ASTAK e.V. was founded and till today is run by citizens who occupied the <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> premises during the Peaceful Revolution on January 15, 1990 as well as former political prisoners of East Germany.</p> <p><a href="https://www.stasimuseum.de/" title="External Link to the webiste of the Stasi-Museum: www.stasimuseum.de (opens in a new window)" target="_blank" class="arrow-up-right" rel="noreferrer"><abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr>-Museum</a></p> </div> <div class="column"> <figure> <picture><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/6/b/csm_house-1_equipment_d7dfa2f031.jpg" media="(max-width: 600px)" type="image/jpeg"><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/6/b/csm_house-1_equipment_22ecd92922.jpg" media="(max-width: 900px)" type="image/jpeg"> <img src="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/6/b/csm_house-1_equipment_aa5eec3221.jpg" title="House 1, Equipment" alt="The exhibition also shows the equipment of MfS and NVA." height="436" width="580"></picture> <figcaption> <small><span>The <abbr title="Ministry for State Security" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">MfS</abbr> had up to 91.000 official members of staff. Uniform, weapons and a helmet belonged to their equipment.</span><span>Source: <abbr title="Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">BStU</abbr> / Popa</span></small> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div>  </main> <button class="back-to-top"> <i class="icon-arrow-up" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span class="is-invisible"> To top </span> </button> <footer class="footer"> <div class="inner"> <div class="items-top"> <div class="item"> <h2 class="is-invisible">Das Bundearchiv auf Socialmedia</h2> <ul class="social-items"> <li class="social-item"> <button class="social-item-button" data-name="Twitter X" data-url-barch="https://twitter.com/BundesarchivD" data-url-bstu="https://twitter.com/StasiArchiv" aria-pressed="false" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="footer-twitter"> <span class="is-invisible" id="footer-twitter">Twitter X</span> <i class="icon-twitter-x"></i> </button> </li> <li class="social-item"> <button class="social-item-button" data-name="YouTube" data-url-bstu="https://www.youtube.com/StasiUnterlagenArchiv" aria-pressed="false" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="footer-youtube"> <span class="is-invisible" id="footer-youtube">YouTube</span> <i class="icon-youtube"></i> </button> </li> <li class="social-item"> <button class="social-item-button" data-name="Instagram" data-url-barch="https://www.instagram.com/bundesarchivd/" data-url-bstu="https://www.instagram.com/stasizentrale/" aria-pressed="false" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="footer-instgram"> <span class="is-invisible" id="footer-instagram">Instagram</span> <i class="icon-instagram"></i> </button> </li> <li class="social-item"> <button class="social-item-button" data-name="Facebook" data-url-bstu="https://www.facebook.com/StasiUnterlagenArchiv/" aria-pressed="false" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="footer-facebook"> <span class="is-invisible" id="footer-facebook">Facebook</span> <i class="icon-facebook"></i> </button> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="items-bottom"> <div class="item"> <ul class="meta-linklist"> <li> <a href="/en/imprint/" title="Imprint" target="_self" class="anchor--on" data-imprint-link="{"url":"\/en\/imprint\/","target":"_blank","label":"Imprint"}"> Imprint </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/terms/" title="Terms" target="_self" class="anchor--on"> Terms </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/data-protection-statement/" title="Data Protection Statement" target="_self" class="anchor--on" data-privacy-policy-link="{"url":"\/en\/data-protection-statement\/","target":"_blank","label":"Data Protection Statement"}"> Data Protection Statement </a> </li> <li><button class="anchor--on" data-cookiebanner-opener="">Cookie Settings</button></li> </ul> </div> <div class="item"> © 2025 Federal Archives. 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Exhibitions and Museum - Stasi Records Archive