Hungary Releases Communist-Era Secret Police Files to Public Amid Controversy
The Hungarian government has begun releasing secret police files dating back to the communist era, a move championed by Prime Minister Péter Magyar. Critics argue the release is too late, the documents are incomplete, and the action risks causing social division.
BBC World
Hungary has made available communist-era secret police files to the public, a decision the government states is intended to help society heal from the trauma of 45 years of communist rule. The release was announced on Wednesday and is framed as the fulfillment of a campaign promise made by Prime Minister Péter Magyar.
Magyar stated that the publication of the documents is long overdue and urged the public to approach the material with dignity and humanity. He acknowledged that many families will encounter difficult information, often concerning deceased relatives, noting that processing such trauma requires discussion and questioning.
This move marks a significant shift, as successive governments—including conservative, Socialist-Liberal, and Fidesz-led administrations—had contemplated but ultimately refused to open the files. While individuals could apply for their own files since 1998, many records were previously blacked out or withheld by post-communist secret services.
From Wednesday, the names and personal data of approximately 60,000 individuals recruited by the secret services have been made accessible on the nyitottaktak.hu website. The initial disclosures include 'Form 6' cards detailing the informer's full name, codename, date of birth, address, mother's name, and the motive for recruitment, whether voluntary or coerced.
Further details regarding the recruitment process will be released in February. A separate batch of files, known as 'B-dossiers,' which offer greater detail on the recruitment process and the value of the information provided, is currently being digitized and will be available on February 25.
Historians estimate that between December 1944 and February 1990, roughly 150,000 to 160,000 people were recruited as informers in Hungary. Many were blackmailed using threats related to their employment, education, or private lives, and the current disclosures will carefully edit out such intimate details.
However, the release has drawn criticism. Opponents argue that the move comes too late and that the files are incomplete. Zsuzsanna Borvendég, a historian and MEP for the far-right Our Homeland party, warned that publishing names without fully explaining the circumstances of recruitment risks misleading the public.
Krisztian Ungváry, a historian who has advocated for the full release of the files, maintains that access to state records concerning citizens is a fundamental right that should not be subject to the discretion of those in power.