‘Traitors in every family’: Hungary to unmask communist-era informants and confront past

From 1945 to 1989, Hungary's communist state-security services operated an extensive network of informants who monitored society and suppressed dissent. Many were blackmailed or coerced into reporting on neighbors, friends, colleagues, and even family members, while others were recruited through promises of various advantages.

The 'agent files', held in the basement of the Historical Archives of the State Security services, remained largely inaccessible to the public for decades despite repeated calls and partial leaks. Péter Magyar, during his election campaign leading up to Hungary's April parliamentary elections, promised to make these files public.

Historical Context

In September, the government passed a law paving the way for the files to be made public, with the release initially scheduled for the anniversary of the 1956 anti-Soviet revolution but pushed back to November 4th. Previously, access to the reports was restricted to researchers and relatives of victims.

Database Details

With the new, searchable online database, Hungary's former state-service will become the most transparent in the former eastern bloc, researchers say. The documents, if placed side by side, would stretch for three miles, enough to trace the perimeter of London's Hyde Park.

Of the 50,000 to 60,000 people whose names appear in the files, historians estimate 10% are alive today. Many files are incomplete as the agent's motivation or extent of reporting remains unknown. Detailed files for only 9,000 people will be released in February after personal information has been redacted in accordance with privacy laws.

Personal Impact

Miklós Kiss, a survivor of a Hungarian forced labour camp, would have preferred if Hungary had followed Germany's example and released the files earlier. 'People will learn that there were traitors in every family, in every neighbourhood and street,' he said. 'But what are we supposed to do with that now?'

Alexander Faludy, whose grandfather spent years in a labor camp, read the files on his family almost two decades ago. One report made him particularly angry until he saw the informant's file details. 'Suddenly, my anger evaporated. I just felt very sorry for her,' he said.

Taboo Subject

The identities of secret-service agents have long fascinated Hungarians. Since the 2000s, several partial lists have emerged, naming politicians and prominent artists, plunging governments into political crises. Not many former agents have spoken publicly about their experiences, and the subject remains taboo.

In July, an independent religious online journal published a call for former agents to come forward, but so far no one has volunteered. 'I think many people feel that there isn't really much to speak about,' the paper's editor-in-chief said. 'Or they think that their story is so complex that they cannot, do not want to, or are not ready to tell it.'

Domokos Szokolay, whose father was outed as an informant in 2005, hopes the release won't turn into public shaming. 'I know confronting one's family history can be scary or even painful,' he said. 'But learning about it is always better.'