On 17 November 1989, the Council of Ministers "(Ministerrat der DDR)" renamed the Stasi as the "Office for National Security" "(Amt für Nationale Sicherheit" – AfNS), which was headed by "Generalleutnant" Wolfgang Schwanitz.
7. novembra 1989 je dal vodja Stasija Erich Mielke odpoved kot odgovor na hitro spreminjajoče se politično in družbeno stanje v NDR.