REMEMBRANCE IN TIME - Index of

Jens BIENERT: 8 th Amendment to the Stasi Records Act of 2011 355
Since the beginning of 2012, the Department of the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi
Archives observes an application rush of near relatives. 23 Young people want to work off
their family history with the help of the files. For relatives of former GDR citizens it is
now easier to clear up the family history also with the help of the Department of the
Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives. The increasing number of applications for
inspection of records on dead persons shows that the next generation wants to know how
their parents have lived.
The increase of the applications is very clear. During the first two months in 2011,
about 640 of such applications were put at the authority. They had to be often turned
down because the legal basis for an inspection of records was missing. In January and
February 2012, the number of these applications has nearly doubled (there were about
1135 applications). 24 Now the prospects of success are better. Near relatives could ask for
the old law merely in special cases or with juridical discussions for information. Since
2011, examination can be also granted to them if it is a matter quite in general concerning
the influencing control of the Stasi on a family destiny. 25
4.2. Expansion of the group of employees which might be examined for Stasi
activities
The 8th Amendment to the Stasi Records Act expands the group of employees in the
civil service which may be examined in order to reveal former Stasi activities.
Employees, which exercise a leading function, can be checked in future already from
lower salary groups than before. 26 Besides, an examination is allowed for each employee
in civil service if facts justify the suspicion of an activity for the Stasi. The examination
terms which would have run out, otherwise, to the end of the year in 2011 are extended
up to 2019. 27
4.3. Employment ban on former employees of the Stasi
Finally, the amendment law of 2011 intends an employment ban on former fulltime
employees and on former unofficial informants of the Stasi within the office of
the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives. A small group of ex-Stasiemployees
and of unofficial informants were intentionally hired in the office of the
Federal Commissioner. The new statute allows to move these ex-Stasi-employees to
equivalent jobs in other federal authorities taking into account the reasonability in
particular cases.
23 More detailed information: http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/ddr-immer-mehr-jungedeutsche-wollen-stasi-akten-von-verwandten-einsehen-a-820691.html.
24 Thereto: http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/ddr-immer-mehr-junge-deutsche-wollenstasi-akten-von-verwandten-einsehen-a-820691.html.
25 See: http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/ddr-immer-mehr-junge-deutsche-wollen-stasiakten-von-verwandten-einsehen-a-820691.html.
26 BT-Drs. 17/5894, p. 6, http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/ausschuesse17/a22/berichte/Stasi-
Unterlagen-Gesetz/gesetzentwurf.pdf.
27 In addition: http://www.focus.de/politik/weitere-meldungen/bundespraesident-wulffunterzeichnet-stasi-unterlagen-gesetz_aid_697126.html.