Hungary to release decades-old files exposing communist-era informants

From 1945 to 1989, Hungary’s communist regime utilized a vast network of informants to monitor citizens and suppress dissent. Individuals were often coerced or blackmailed into reporting on friends, family, and neighbors, while others were incentivized to participate.

For years, these “agent files” were kept hidden, residing in the Historical Archives of the State Security services. Despite calls for transparency and occasional leaks, public access remained restricted.

Following promises made during his campaign, Prime Minister Péter Magyar has initiated the release, supported by a law passed in September with broad public approval. The initial release date was intended to coincide with the anniversary of the 1956 anti-Soviet revolution.

“A democratic society has the right to know its past,” stated Zoltán Tarr, Minister of Social Relations and Culture, on social media.

Previously, access was limited to researchers and victims’ relatives. The new online database promises unprecedented transparency for the former eastern bloc, according to researchers.

“We are opening wide a door that was left ajar,” said István Papp, a historian and head of the archives’ academic department.

Approximately 50,000 to 60,000 names appear in the files, with an estimated 10% of those individuals still living. Papp acknowledged the emotional impact this release will have on many families.

While other countries in the former eastern bloc have previously released similar files – East Germany in 1992, the Czech Republic in 2003, and Latvia in 2018 – Hungary’s process has been delayed.

Miklós Kiss, a survivor of a Hungarian forced labor camp, expressed regret that the files weren’t released sooner, stating, “People will learn that there were traitors in every family, in every neighbourhood and street.”

The total volume of documents is substantial, stretching for three miles if placed end to end, although smaller than those held by Poland or Romania. Many files were destroyed during the 1956 uprising or disappeared during the transition of 1989.

Initially, only 9,000 files, containing detailed information and background checks, will be released in February. Personal details such as health records, addictions, sexuality, and information about victims will be redacted to protect privacy.

Alexander Faludy, a journalist and Anglican priest, previously reviewed files related to his family, including those detailing the experiences of his grandfather, György Faludy, who was imprisoned in a labor camp. He shared a story of an informant whose file revealed details about her elderly parents, which prompted a shift in his perspective.

“Exile was very painful for my family, but it also conferred certain moral luxuries,” Faludy said.

The release follows a call from the online journal *Szemlélek* for former agents to come forward, a group often targeted for blackmail. So far, no one has responded.

Domokos Szokolay, a historian, hopes the release will promote understanding rather than public shaming. His father, Zoltán Szokolay, was previously identified as an informant, and Domokos Szokolay encourages open conversations about family history to alleviate the fear of judgment.