Ministry for State Security | |
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Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS) | |
Seal of the Ministry of State Security of the GDR | |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 8 February 1950 |
Dissolved | 13 January 1990 |
Headquarters | East Berlin, GDR |
Employees | 91,015 (1989) |
Agency executives | Wilhelm Zaisser (1950–1953) Ernst Wollweber (1953–1957) Erich Mielke (1957–1989) Wolfgang Schwanitz (1989–1990) |
The Stasi was the official state security service of East Germany, the German Democratic Republic in short the GDR. The Stasi motto was "Schild und Schwert der Partei" (Shield and Sword of the Party). "The Party" was the ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany. The main job of the Stasi was to prevent opposition to the Party.