International Workshop “Experiences of Post-Communist Countries with Former Security Services Archives”

International Working Meeting Inaugurated

PRAGUE, MAY 26, 2009 - The Security Services Archive's international workshop “Experiences of Post-Communist Countries with Former Security Services Archives” was inaugurated this morning at 9:00 a.m. Vice-President of the Czech Senate Jiří Liška, Director of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes Pavel Žáček, and Director of the Security Services Archive Ladislav Bukovszky delivered the opening remarks. Delegates from partner institutions in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Germany and Slovakia are participating in the workshop.

PROGRAMME - May 26th 2009 /Tuesday/

9:00 a.m. Opening
  • PhDr. Ladislav Bukovszky, Director of the Security Service Archive
  • PhDr. Pavel Žáček, PhD., Director of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes
  • MVDr. Jiří Liška, Vice-President - Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic

Zahájení mezinárodního workshopu „Zkušenosti postkomunistických zemí s archivy bývalých bezpečnostních složek“ (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) Zahájení mezinárodního workshopu „Zkušenosti postkomunistických zemí s archivy bývalých bezpečnostních složek“ (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) Zahájení mezinárodního workshopu „Zkušenosti postkomunistických zemí s archivy bývalých bezpečnostních složek“ (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) Zahájení mezinárodního workshopu „Zkušenosti postkomunistických zemí s archivy bývalých bezpečnostních složek“ (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) Zahájení mezinárodního workshopu „Zkušenosti postkomunistických zemí s archivy bývalých bezpečnostních složek“ (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) Zahájení mezinárodního workshopu „Zkušenosti postkomunistických zemí s archivy bývalých bezpečnostních složek“ (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) Zahájení mezinárodního workshopu „Zkušenosti postkomunistických zemí s archivy bývalých bezpečnostních složek“ (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009)

PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation
Process of taking over archival records from the former security services: basic problems; completeness of archival collections; basic types of archival collections; physical state of archival documents, etc.
  • 9:10 – 9:25 a.m. Security Services Archive, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 9:25 – 9:40 a.m. Nation´s Memory Institute, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  • 9:40 – 9:55 a.m. Institute of National Remembrance, Warsaw, Poland
  • 9:55 – 10:10 a.m. Historical Archives of the Hungarian State Security, Budapest, Hungary
  • 10:10 – 10:30 a.m. Coffee break
  • 10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Office of the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the Former GDR, Berlin, Germany
  • 10:45 – 11:00 a.m. National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives, Bucharest, Romania
  • 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Discussion

PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009) PANEL I – Archives as the memory of the nation (ÚSTR, 26.5.2009)

  • 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Lunch
PANEL II – AD USUM PUBLICUM – in the service of the public
Interest of society in archival records of former security services; official use – personnel screenings (lustration or vetting), security screenings; research use – possibilities, problematic areas, results.
  • 12:45 – 13:00 p.m. Security Services Archive, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 13:15 – 13:30 p.m. Nation´s Memory Institute, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  • 13:30 – 13:45 p.m. Institute of National Remembrance, Warsaw, Poland
  • 13:45 – 14:00 p.m. Historical Archives of the Hungarian State Security, Budapest, Hungary
  • 14:00 – 14:20 p.m. Coffee break
  • 14:20 – 14:35 p.m. Office of the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the Former GDR, Berlin, Germany
  • 14:35 – 14:50 p.m. National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives, Bucharest, Romania
  • 14:50 – 16:00 p.m. Discussion
  • 19:00 Dinner

May 27th 2009 /Wednesday/

PANEL III – The vade mecum of archives – archival finding aids
State of archival collection processing; types and sorts of basic archival finding aids; original archival finding aids created before 1989; problems in the creation of new finding aids; experience – possible solutions.
  • 9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Security Service Archive, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 9:15 – 9:30 a.m. Nation´s Memory Institute, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  • 9:30 – 9:45 a.m. Institute of National Remembrance, Warsaw, Poland
  • 9:45 – 10:00 a.m. Historical Archives of the Hungarian State Security, Budapest, Hungary
  • 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Coffee break
  • 10:30– 10:45 a.m. Office of the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the Former GDR, Berlin, Germany
  • 10:45 – 11:00 a.m. National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives, Bucharest, Romania
  • 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Discussion
  • 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Lunch
PANEL IV – Open past - digitization of archival records
New forms of access; web possibilities; digitization of archival records and electronic access.
  • 12:45 – 13:00 p.m. Security Services Archive, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 13:15 – 13:30 p.m. Nation´s Memory Institute, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  • 13:30 – 13:45 p.m. Institute of National Remembrance, Warsaw, Poland
  • 13:45 – 14:00 p.m. Historical Archives of the Hungarian State Security, Budapest, Hungary
  • 14:00 – 14:20 p.m. Coffee break
  • 14:20 – 14:35 p.m. Office of the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the Former GDR, Berlin, Germany
  • 14:35 – 14:50 p.m. National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives, Bucharest, Romania
  • 14:50 – 15:50 p.m. Discussion
  • 15:50 – 16:00 p.m. Closing of workshop

The Security Services Archive is organizing the international professional workshop

Invitation to International Workshop “Experiences of Post-Communist Countries with Former Security Services Archives”

Prague, May 12, 2009 – The Security Services Archive is organizing the international professional workshop “Experiences of Post-Communist Countries with Former Security Services Archives” on May 26-27, 2009. The two-day working meeting, taking place under the auspices of the Vice-President of the Czech Senate, MVDr. Jiří Liška, will be attended by representatives of partner institutions from Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and Germany. More information is available in the attached program.