The Role of the IPN Archive in the Process of the Verification of “Totalitarian Memory”

Abstract

The IPN Archive contains mostly documents produced by the security organs of the Polish People’s Republic. The documents are showing the besti-ality, cruelty and ruthlessness of the communist authorities as well as the heroism, sacrifice and courage of those who dared to oppose this system. A special mission of the IPN Archive is to verify the “totalitarian memory” under which cultural, historical, political and social results of introducing the communist system in Poland should be understood.