Names of the Communist Secret Services Quiz

Answer: KGB

Cheka was a name of part of the original Soviet state security from 1917-1922. NKVD was one of the names of part of the Soviet state security from 1922-1954.
KGV is short for King George V.

The KGB (from 1954-91) was replaced by the Federal Security Service (FSB) in 1991, with the fall of communist power. Yuri Andropov led the KGB from 1967-1982. He became leader of the Soviet Union late in 1982 and appeared to want to drag the Soviet Union out from the stagnation of the Brezhnev era, but died in early 1984.

Answer: Stasi

A Stanza is part of a large poem, usually a verse. Stasis is sometimes defined as a period of equilibrium. Stanzi is a made up word.

The actual name of the Stasi was the "Staatssicherheitsdienst" (State Security Service), officially shortened to SSD. It is perhaps the best known Communist secret service after the KGB. They were also one of the most successful in their activities, led by Markus Wolf (from 1957-1986). Notably, the placement of agent Günter Guillaume, led to the resignation of the West German chancellor Willy Brandt in 1974.

Answer: StB

A 'Sab' is shorthand for a sabouteur, typically a name given to people who want to disrupt animal hunts. A 'Sub' is shorthand for submarine or substitute. SkB was a made up abbreviation, but is used by many worldwide businesses.

The StB's part in the 'Velvet Revolution' of 1989, was unusual. One of their agents pretended to be a dead student, by lying in the street, after an early demonstration was dispersed. Whether the spreading rumour of a 'dead student' helped further the revolution is unclear, but it's certainly a strange action for a Secret Police to take - faking the death of an opponent!

Answer: Securitate

Securicor and Securitas are both international companies dealing with many aspects of private security. Securious is a made up word - See ..you were.. Curious.

The Securitate, was probably, in proportion to the country's population, the largest European Secret police service. It was used extensively to manipulate and control its country's citizens.

Answer: Darzhavna Sigurnost

I would hope the wrong answers need no explanation... if you say two of them with an English cockney accent!

The Bulgarian Secret Service were behind the infamous murder in London of the dissident Georgi Markov (1978), using a poison-tipped umbrella.

Answer: UDBA

UCAS stands for the University and Colleges Admissions Service, used for students applying for courses in the UK. EBTG stands for Everything but the Girl, a music duo from the 80's, famous for appearing on the Top of the Pops TV programme, and not being able to hear the sounds of their song they should have been miming to. UCLA stands for the University of California at Los Angeles.

With the disintegration of Yugoslavia, the files of the UDBA were highly sought after, but some of the newly formed governments tried to hide or destroy the files. A website published archived information on 1.5 million citizens of Slovenia in 2003. The current population of Slovenia is only 2 million.

Answer: Sluzba Bezpieczenstwa

Urzad Ochrony Panstwa is the new name of the Polish Secret Service after the fall of communism in 1990. Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnetrznych was the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs. Ubecy is the Polish word for agents of the Sluzba Bezpieczenstwa (SB).

Lech Walesa, originally leader of the Solidarity trade union, and future president of Poland, was put under constant surveillance by the SB. Solidarity was the first non-communist trade union in a communist country.

Answer: ÁVH

ATC are the initials of the Air Training Corps (UK). The Ark is a mythical boat from the bible. The APT was the 1st tilting train introduced in the UK, but was unsuccessful, hampered by lack of foresight, will and investment.

The ÁVH was slowly phased out after the death of Stalin in 1953, and with the actions of Prime Minister Imre Nagy, leading up to the Hungarian uprising in 1956. Surprisingly it wasn't replaced, and Hungary became the only European Communist country without an intelligence service.

Answer: DGI

The CBI is the Confederation of British Industry. The CIA is the US equivalent of the DGI. DIG is what you use a spade or shovel for.

The DGI or Dirección General de Inteligencia was established in 1961.
Che Guevara was a DGI agent. The DGI was probably the most internationally active communist security service, after the KGB, being active in South/Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East.

There were only nine communist countries in Europe, so I had to add Cuba, hence it's become a World Quiz rather than a European Quiz.

Answer: Sigurimi

Sigur Rós is the name of an Icelandic music group. Sigarete is a silly spelling of Cigarette. Sign O' the Times was a music album by Prince.

Albania is famous for allowing the films of Norman Wisdom to be shown during the Communist era. 'Mr Pitkin', as Norman was known to generations of Albanians from one of his films, is treated with adulation whenever he has visited. Albania was one of the most 'closed' Communist countries, and was frightened of being invaded. It used to have 3/4 million bunkers (pillboxes), approximately 1 for every 5 Albanians!