Államvédelmi Hatóság or ÁVH was the national security department of Hungary after the World War II. It became very similar to the Gestapo and other communist secret services.
This is a summary term for the Political police forces between 1945 and 1956. The list of forces:
- 1945, Budapest Police Main Command Political Dept., (Budapesti Főkapitányság Politikai Rendészeti Osztálya)
- 1946, Hungarian State Police State Protection Dept., (Magyar Államrendőrség Államvédelmi Osztálya, ÁVO)
- 1950, State Protection Authority, (Államvédelmi Hatóság, ÁVH)
- 1956, the authority was officially cancelled, but the methods were used by several, unnamed governmental or communist entities.
This joke tells you all about the AVH, from the 60s.
An old joke
External links