CNSAS documents reveal scale of Romanian Securitate in 1988

Newly released documents from the National Council for the Study of Securitate Archives (CNSAS) reveal the extensive scale of the Romanian State Security Department (DSS) in September 1988, approximately one year before the fall of the communist regime. The records, sourced from the files of Iulian Vlad, the last head of the DSS, show a total workforce of 14,629 employees.

The apparatus was divided into three main branches: the central structure in Bucharest, which employed 6,023 personnel (41.17%); the Security Troops, consisting of 2,737 members (18.71%); and the territorial apparatus, which included 5,869 employees (40.12%) spread across the country's counties.

The data highlights specialized units for surveillance, including Unit 'F' for street observation and investigations (745 members), Unit 'T' for interceptions and eavesdropping (466 members), and Unit 'S' for controlling mail and parcels (356 members). The workforce also included approximately 1,200 civilian employees performing technical, logistical, and administrative roles.

Regional distribution varied based on economic and strategic importance. Major hubs included Bucharest, Constanța, Timiș, and Prahova. For instance, the Cluj County Inspectorate had 251 personnel, while the Prahova Inspectorate had 261, reflecting the high level of surveillance in industrial and strategic zones.