ABSTRACT
As a direct result of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, the records of the Ministry for State Security, the secret police in the service of the East German communist party SED, were made available to the whole public to address the injustices of the communist past in the united Germany. Unlike many other Eastern European countries, the unique post-conflict situation of the unification of the two Germanys allowed for immediate access to these records in support of many transitional justice mechanisms in dealing with the past. This case study analyses the special conditions of the German process, the effects upon the role of the archive, and its future potential. After 30 years of active participation in shaping the dialogue about the past, the Stasi Records Archive seems poised for a continuing role in the safeguarding of democracy and human rights for the coming generations.
