Security Services Archive

Invitation to an international seminar The Role and Significance of Institutions of Historical Memory

Invitation to an international seminar “The Role and Significance of Institutions of Historical Memory” (Prague, Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic , 02/26/2013)

Please accept our invitation to an international seminar on the subject The Role and Significance of Institutions of Historical Memory, which will take place on 26 February 2013 from 10:00 in the Discussion hall of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic under the patronate of the Chairman of the Senate, Mr. Milan Štěch.

Published: 14.02.2013

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The main motive for the establishment of the Security Services Archive was to concentrate and expertly organize materials of all security services of the former totalitarian regimes in Czechoslovakia. Its qualified processing and rendering documents accessible to the wide circle of interested parties can decisively contribute to the comprehension of the mechanisms on which the Communist regime was built and help prevent biased explanations of historical events.

Pursuant to Act No. 181/2007 Coll., the Archive holds documents created by the activities of Security Services, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the organization of the National Front acting in these forces during the period from April 4, 1945 through February 15, 1990. The greatest number of archival materials (approx. 17 km) comes from the Department of Security Services of the Ministry of the Interior, while other materials (approx. 2 km) originate from a number of departments: the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic (including Military Intelligence), the Ministry of Justice, the Security Information Service, and the Office for Foreign Relations and Information.

Functions of the Security Services Archives

  • ensures access to and makes public documents and archival material concerning the security services;
  • ensures access to documents and archival materials and provides needed assistance and information to state bodies authorized to access security proceedings and to investigate according to the Act on the protection of classified information, to the Czech Republic’s intelligence services in the fulfillment of their duties, and to investigative, prosecuting and adjudicating bodies for the purposes of criminal proceedings;
  • facilitates the viewing of deposited archival materials based on the terms established by the Act on archival activity and record services and the Act on ensuring access to files of the ensuing activities of State Security (StB);
  • retrieves from the deposited archival material documents required by state administrative bodies, territorial self-administration units and legal and natural persons, and makes copies and transcripts thereof;
  • makes decisions regarding archival administrative procedures and record services.