Foundation of the Stasi

Schwert und Schild der SED (Retusche) Quelle: Fridolin Freudenfett, CC BY-SA 4 Foundation of the Stasi
Jan 24 1950
Sword and shield of the SED (retouched) Source: Fridolin Freudenfett, CC BY-SA 4

The shield and sword of the party is born

Aware that East Germany’s repressive political system lacked popular support, the Politburo of the ruling SED established a new secret police force on 24 January 1950 to combat dissent. Modelled on Stalin’s secret service, the Ministry for State Security (Stasi) was tasked with protecting socialism from its domestic and foreign enemies and preventing East Germans from voting with their feet and leaving for the West.

The Stasi combined the role of a secret police and intelligence service in a single organization and soon expanded to become a comprehensive instrument of surveillance and repression. By 1989, some 90,000 people worked for the Stasi full-time, assisted by 189,000 informants.

Logo des Deutschlandmuseums

About the Deutschlandmuseum

An immersive and innovative experience museum about 2000 years of German history

The whole year at a glance

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Discover history

Visit the unique Deutschlandmuseum and experience immersive history

2000 Jahre
12 Epochen
1 Stunde