As I wrote a couple months ago, I sent a formal request for my Stasi file. Yesterday I received a response in the mail.

Poring over the letter, I learned they were only able to find three index cards with very basic information on me. More documents may be uncovered in the future, and I was invited to write again in two years. I intend to do this.

For those interested in the full letter, I did my best to translate it in its entirety (with a strong assist from Google). Here’s my translation:

Mr. Loftus,

You have requested access to the documents which may exist about you from the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic. The searches in all the files in question according to your data have shown that you were registered by the State Security Service in July 26, 1989, in a “security operation” of Dept. XX of the BV Rostock (Appendix l).

Security operations (SiVo / SVG) included certain groups of persons which, in the opinion of the State Security Service, were to be “secured” on account of their special position, professional activity or interests, meaning that a number of persons were recorded in a single backup process. A registration did not mean that the people were purposefully and systematically observed.

The registration in security operations was basically done without knowledge of the persons concerned and usually had a low value statement. Security Operations offten contain only the name, address and date of birth of the persons entered.

Security operations generally ran for years, with new people constantly being recorded, and others – for example for reasons of age – were cancelled. The application date of a security operation can therefore take many years for an individual person.

The procedure file F 22 (Appendix 2) allows access to the archived registered procedures and files by registration number.

The lower half and the back of the index card were reserved for the registration of modifications (e.g. change of employee, service unit, IM category, etc.).

You were also entered with your personal details in a “VSH card” (“Precompiled-, Search- und Tip-Card”) of Dept. XX of the BV Rostock. (Appendix 3).

The “pre-compilation, search and reference cards” (VSH files) created by the State Security Service were not stored centrally in the Ministry of State Security, but only
for the respective area of responsibility of the individual service units.

Information on persons was recorded in these files and, if necessary, continuously added to, which was of interest for security reasons. Thus, the corresponding service unit of the State Security Service could access relevant Access information on short notice.

Explanation:

Since 1964, the Department XX of the BV (district administration) was responsible for the security and control of the state apparatus, competitive sports, churches, culture and opposition.

For you, beyond these index cards no further documents were found. Copies of the found index cards are included for your information.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this information refers to the previously developed documents of the State Security Service. However, it can not be ruled out that further documents on your person can be found during further development work.

Because of the high number of available documents, unfortunately, I can not inform the respective applicant about newly found documents.

You may requst additional information from me by quoting the above mentioned job number in about two years.

Because we require a handwritten signature, I ask that this should not be done by e-mail, but rather with an informal letter.

With friendly greetings,
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