"Traitors in every family": Hungary will publish the names of tens of thousands of communist-era informants on Wednesday

L2Who’s affected

Families who will learn relatives informed on them, and informants' own families. Survivor Miklós Kiss: "People will learn that there were traitors in every family, in every neighbourhood and street… But what are we supposed to do with that now?" Historian Domokos Szokolay, whose father was outed in 2005, hopes it "won't turn into a public shaming."

L3Why it’s quiet

Analysis · OVERLOOKED The story is about history and domestic reckoning rather than a crisis, and lands in U.S. midterm week.

L4Deeper impact

Detailed files on only 9,000 people will follow in February after redaction of health, addiction, sexuality and victim details. Religious figures were frequent targets; some estimates say 7-10% cooperated. Partial lists since the 2000s have plunged governments into crises; Szemlélek's call for ex-agents to speak drew no volunteers.

L5Full context

From 1945 to 1989, security police used informants, some blackmailed, to suppress dissent. Files were long restricted to researchers and victims' relatives. Many were destroyed in 1956 or during 1989. East Germany opened Stasi files in 1992, the Czech Republic in 2003, Latvia in 2018. The release was moved from the 1956 revolution anniversary to Nov 4.

You’ve reached the bottom. Read the original reporting below.