Stasi files

Stasi files are documents collected by East Germany’s secret police, known as the Stasi, during the Cold War era. They kept detailed records on citizens, monitoring activities, conversations, and associations to maintain control and suppress dissent. After German reunification in 1990, these files were made accessible to individuals and researchers, revealing the extent of surveillance and the personal data maintained on many people. The files offer insight into the methods of state surveillance, privacy invasion, and the impact on those affected, serving as a historical record of how a totalitarian regime monitored its population.