The ÁVH (State Security Office) was established in 1948 in Hungary to function as the "fist of the working class" and fight against "reactionary elements". It acted as Hungary's secret police force, conducting interrogations using torture methods like physical brutality, sleep deprivation, and electric shocks. Prisoners faced inhumane conditions in the ÁVH's underground labyrinthine prisons, with little food or sleep. In 1956, during the Hungarian Revolution, the ÁVH fought alongside Soviet troops but faced public anger, and some officers were lynched by rebels seeking to dismantle the secret police force.

1. The Secret
Police
of Hungary

2. AFTER THE WORLD WAR II.

3. THE STATE SECURITY OFFICE
 The State Security Office (ÁVH) was set up
in September 1948
 Its keyword was the fight against
’reactionary elements’
 It functioned as the ‘fist of the working
class’

4. Its headquarters were in the house that had
been the 'House of Loyalty‘ earlier.
It is located at Andrássy Avenue 60 in Budapest at
present days

5. Later it moved to the tower block popularly
known as the 'White House'.

6. THE ÁVH
not only security police
the ‘Green ÁVO’(the Army
Border Guard)
military intelligence

7. WHAT DID ÁVH DO?
played an important part in preparing and
executing show trials.

8. ÁVH protected the detention camps,
the Gulags like Recsk.

9. The Hungarian Secret Police organized
interrogations

10. TYPES OF TORTURE
 moral and physical brutality
 interrogations during the night
the prisoners were not allowed to sleep or even
to sit down for days
no food, no drink for days

11. The ÁVH soldiers guarded the prison
of state criminals

12. THE PRISON
The cellars formed a labyrinth
The prisoners were separated from each other
Death row

13. THE PRISONERS’ LIFE
 Hunger
 Horrible cold
 Lack of sleep
 Hands and feet were bound
 Electricity shocks
 No clean underwear
 No shower

14. THE FINAL DAYS OF ÁVH
In 1956 ÁVH units and officers fought against the
rebels alongside the Soviet troops

15. The anger of people turned against the
officers and soldiers of ÁVO
They lynched the 'ÁVO' men

16. THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION OF
1956
 one of the main demands of the revolution
was the breaking up of ÁVO
 Imre Nagy’s government achieved this
 the Kádár government confirmed it
 the members continued to work for the
State Security Department of the police until
1961.

17. THE VICTIMS…