Bundesarchiv-Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv Berlin

The Stasi Records Archive (until June 17, 2021 the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic –GDR) is responsible for the preservation, management and accessibility of the records of the East German Ministry for State Security (1950 – 1989), its predecessor, the political police K5, and successor, the Office for National Security of the GDR. The Archive‘s holdings also include documents ceded to the Ministry for State Security, colloquially known as Stasi, by the line of activity K1 within the criminal police, as well as East German courts and prosecutors‘ offices. The Stasi Records Archive Berlin is responsible for the files of the Ministry that had ist headquarters in Berlin as well as those of the regional units for state security (Bezirksverwaltung für Staatssicherheit) Berlin and Potsdam.  

The ministerial records of the Stasi include ca. 44,190 linear metres of paper files, ca. 1,2 million photographs, 760 films, 1,434 videos, 14,826 audio recordings, 174,700 maps und 584 posters. The records of the regional unit (Bezirksverwaltung) Berlin including those of the district offices (Kreisdiensstellen) Friedrichshain, Hellersdorf, Hohenschönhausen, Köpenick, Lichtenberg, Marzahn, Mitte, Pankow, Prenzlauer Berg, Treptow and Weißensee encompass 2,329 linear metres of paper files, 4,950 photographs, 35 films, 27 videos, 332 audio recordings and 4 posters. The records of the regional unit (Bezirksverwaltung) Potsdam comprising those of the the district offices (Kreisdienststellen) Belzig, Brandenburg, Gransee, Jüterbog, Königs Wusterhausen, Kyritz, Luckenwalde, Nauen, Neuruppin, Oranienburg, Potsdam, Pritzwalk, Rathenow, Wittstock und Zossen consist of 4,744 linear metres of paper files, ca. 1,900 photographs, 27 films, 8 videos and 242 audio recordings.  

Access and usage of archival materials is regulated by the Stasi Records Act (Stasi-Unterlagen-Gesetz – StUG).