Rosenholz files
Encyclopedia
The Rosenholz files are a collection of 381 CD-ROM
s containing 280,000 files with information on employees of the Hauptverwaltung Aufklärung
(HVA), one of the intelligence agencies of the former GDR. They mostly contain the real names of agents who worked for the HVA in former West Germany
.
The Rosenholz files ended up with the CIA during the German reunification
under unclear circumstances; they were initially analysed by the USA only, but finally returned to Germany
in 2003 after long negotiations. The exact reason for the duration of the negotiations is still debated among scholars.
After being returned, the files were checked for mistranslation and other errors by the BStU
; since March 2004, the files have in theory been open to the general public and can in theory be viewed following an appropriate request (Antrag auf persönliche Akteneinsicht).
According to the annals of the former Moscow
CIA station chief Milton Bearden
, the Rosenholz files were not seized on January 15, 1990, when demonstrators stormed the Ministry of State Security (GDR)
in Berlin, but instead only when former US president George H. W. Bush
personally contacted the chief of the Berlin
CIA station. Bearden later on lobbied for the return of the Rosenholz files to Germany while CIA station chief in Bonn
, and received the Bundesverdienstkreuz
for this.
In Finland
, similar files, known as the Tiitinen list
in Finnish media, have caused quite a scandal, having been unexpectedly classified by the Finnish security police (Suojelupoliisi
) and Supreme Administrative Court of Finland
. The Tiitinen list
is described by the press as including the names of some of today's top politicians and officials in Finland.
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
s containing 280,000 files with information on employees of the Hauptverwaltung Aufklärung
Hauptverwaltung Aufklärung (GDR)
The Hauptverwaltung Aufklärung ' of the former German Democratic Republic was the foreign intelligence service of the GDR and was an integral part of the GDR Ministry of State Security ...
(HVA), one of the intelligence agencies of the former GDR. They mostly contain the real names of agents who worked for the HVA in former West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
The Rosenholz files ended up with the CIA during the German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
under unclear circumstances; they were initially analysed by the USA only, but finally returned to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 2003 after long negotiations. The exact reason for the duration of the negotiations is still debated among scholars.
After being returned, the files were checked for mistranslation and other errors by the BStU
BStU
The Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives is a federal government agency of Germany that preserves and protects the archives and investigates the past crimes of the former Stasi, the secret police and intelligence organization of the communist German Democratic Republic . Since March 2011,...
; since March 2004, the files have in theory been open to the general public and can in theory be viewed following an appropriate request (Antrag auf persönliche Akteneinsicht).
According to the annals of the former Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
CIA station chief Milton Bearden
Milton Bearden
Milton Bearden is a retired Central Intelligence Agency officer, author and film consultant. As of 2003, Bearden lives in Reston, Virginia with his French-born wife, Marie-Catherine....
, the Rosenholz files were not seized on January 15, 1990, when demonstrators stormed the Ministry of State Security (GDR)
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
in Berlin, but instead only when former US president George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
personally contacted the chief of the Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
CIA station. Bearden later on lobbied for the return of the Rosenholz files to Germany while CIA station chief in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, and received the Bundesverdienstkreuz
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
for this.
In Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, similar files, known as the Tiitinen list
Tiitinen list
The Tiitinen list is a Finnish classified government document which was given by West Germany to the Finnish Security Police in 1990. The list consists of the names of 18 persons who are suspected to have been in contact with the East German security service Stasi. The people are popularly...
in Finnish media, have caused quite a scandal, having been unexpectedly classified by the Finnish security police (Suojelupoliisi
Suojelupoliisi
The Finnish Security Intelligence Service is the intelligence agency of Finland in charge of national security. The agency's staff is composed of 220 policemen with additional training...
) and Supreme Administrative Court of Finland
Supreme Administrative Court of Finland
The Supreme Administrative Court of Finland is the highest court in the Finnish administrative court system, parallel to the Supreme Court of Finland. Its jurisdiction covers the legality of the decisions of government officials, and its decisions are final...
. The Tiitinen list
Tiitinen list
The Tiitinen list is a Finnish classified government document which was given by West Germany to the Finnish Security Police in 1990. The list consists of the names of 18 persons who are suspected to have been in contact with the East German security service Stasi. The people are popularly...
is described by the press as including the names of some of today's top politicians and officials in Finland.