A Handbook of the Communist Security Apparatus in East Central Europe 1944-1989, ed. Krzysztof Persak i Łukasz Kamiński, Warsaw 2005, 352 pages

The security apparatus, the "sword and shield of the party," was a mainstay of the communist system, which let the totalitrian dictatorship continue for so many years. The communist security apparatus in East Central Europe left tens of thousands dead, millions incarcerated and persecuted in sundry ways. without studing its history it is impossible to understand not only the pat but also the present of this part of Europe. This book is the first attempt at a synthesis of the history of the communist security apparatus in the European countries of the Soviet bloc. Nine authors from six countries present the current state of reserch and point directions for further investigation. The publishers hope that this book will initiate a comprehensive debate on the role of the communist security apparatus in modern history.