Security Empire

The Secret Police in Communist Eastern Europe

Pucci Molly

This book examines the history of early secret police forces in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany in the aftermath of the Second World War. Molly Pucci delves into the ways their origins diverged from the original Soviet model based on differing interpretations of communism and local histories, and illuminates the difference between veteran agents who fought in foreign wars and younger, more radical agents who combatted "enemies of communism" in the Stalinist terror in Eastern Europe.

About the Author

Molly Pucci is assistant professor of twentieth century European history at Trinity College Dublin. She was a Max Weber postdoctoral fellow at the European University Institute. Her PhD dissertation was awarded the Radomir Luza Prize in Central European History in 2015.

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