Who informed on whom? Hungary exposes secret police files from the communist era

Hungary has opened to the public secret police files from the communist era, revealing the details of some 60,000 informants. The government presents this as a step toward healing the wounds of the past, but critics warn of partial and misleading information.

Hungary yesterday (Wednesday, November 4, 2026) opened to the public documents of the secret police from the communist era, including the names and personal details of some 60,000 people who were recruited to its service. The move, a central campaign promise of Prime Minister Péter Magyar, is controversial: the government presents it as a step toward healing the wounds of the past, while opponents warn of harm to families and the exposure of partial and misleading information. The date for opening the files was chosen symbolically: on November 4, 1956, Soviet tanks entered Budapest to suppress the Hungarian uprising. The records include the informant's real name, code name, date of birth, address, and mother's name, along with the identity of their handler and the circumstances of their recruitment: voluntary, through blackmail, or by coercion. Additional documents are expected to be published on February 25. According to estimates, between December 1944 and February 1990, between 150,000 and 160,000 informants were recruited in Hungary, many blackmailed with threats. Historian Krisztián Ungváry supports the opening, while European Parliament member Zsuzsanna Borvendég warns against misleading publication.