The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in the German Spy Museum

Intelligence services and the public initially seem to have opposing interests. It is no coincidence that people speak of secret services: their work and internal workings are secret to the outside world, but also internally, where everyone is only allowed to know as much as they need to work effectively. Public research and access to records are not provided for in this regard.

An exception to this was made by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which launched its own history project in 2012. The intelligence researchers Michael Wala and Constantin Goschler were granted access to the archives of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution for the first time and were given a research project for a scientifically independent investigation: How did the office develop in the young Federal Republic? How many former Nazis were there actually and did they influence the orientation of the domestic intelligence service?

The result is presented in the form of a book. At the German Spy Museum, the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Hans-Georg Maaßen, speaks with the two researchers about the conditions, results, and future prospects of the project. Afterwards, all three will answer questions from the audience.