1. The decision of the 3rd Party Congress, that the organs of state security should rely on the broadest segment of the population in their work, should be implemented more vigorously than it has been so far. In their work, all the organs of the Ministry for State Security must uphold democratic legality under all circumstances. The German laws and directives on improving the work of the judiciary and the investigative organs must be strictly observed.
2. As part of the preparations for the 2nd Party Conference, decisive measures to improve party work must be introduced. [ . . . ]
3. a) All necessary measures must be taken to substantially improve the technical training of all employees. [ . . . ]
4. [ . . . ] All organs of the Ministry for State Security must deviate from the haphazard work style that has been customary up to this point and pursue their work in a planned way. [ . . . ]
5. Serious measures must be taken by the ministry leadership and the party organization to strengthen morale and work discipline.
One crucial measure to that end is raising the ideological level of the members and implementing systematic educational work.
Another important means toward improving morale and lifting the general education of the members of the organs of the Ministry for State Security is the progressive creation of leisure time. Work time should be organized in a way that allows employees to attend quality plays, concerts, and movies.
The work of the FDJ groups in the area of organizing joint hikes, excursions, and so on, should be supported with every effort.
The Ministry for State Security is obliged to organize a separate sports club for ministry employees. [ . . . ]
Source: SAPMO-BArch ZPA, IV 2/2/202; reprinted in Dierk Hoffman, Karl-Heinz Schmidt, and Peter Skyba, eds., Die DDR vor dem Mauerbau: Dokumente zur Geschichte des anderen deutschen Staates, 1949-1961 [The GDR before the Building of the Wall: Documents on the History of the Other German State, 1949-1961]. Munich: Piper, 1993, pp. 104-06.
Translation: Thomas Dunlap
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