# General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press
**Wikidata**: [Q1530137](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1530137)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Directorate_for_the_Protection_of_State_Secrets_in_the_Press)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/general-directorate-for-the-protection-of-state-secrets-in-the-press

## Summary
The General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press (Glavlit) was a Soviet government agency responsible for censoring military and state secrets in publications, operating from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. It was a key part of the Soviet Union's propaganda and surveillance system, functioning under the People's Commissariat for Education and later replaced by Roskomnadzor.

## Key Facts
- **Class**: Government agency
- **Country**: Soviet Union
- **Inception**: 1922
- **Founded by**: Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR
- **Parent organization**: People's Commissariat for Education
- **Short name**: Главлит
- **Aliases**: Управление по охране военных и государственных тайн в печати, Главное управление по охране военных и государственных тайн в печати, Главное управление по охране государственных тайн в печати, Литовать, Литование, المديرية العامة لحماية أسرار الدولة في الصحافة, غلافلت, گلافلت
- **Instance of**: Government agency
- **Replaced by**: Roskomnadzor
- **Dissolved**: December 26, 1991
- **Wikipedia title**: General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press
- **Wikipedia languages**: Arabic, Bulgarian, English, Spanish, Estonian, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Chinese
- **Described by source**: Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947)
- **Image**: [USSR-censor-1960.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/USSR-censor-1960.jpg)
- **Commons category**: Glavlit
- **Freebase ID**: /m/0909rw
- **Sitelink count**: 17

## FAQs
**What was the General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press?**
It was a Soviet government agency responsible for censoring military and state secrets in publications, functioning from 1922 to 1991 under the People's Commissariat for Education.

**Who founded the General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press?**
It was founded by the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR in 1922.

**What organization did it replace?**
It was replaced by Roskomnadzor after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

**What was its primary function?**
Its primary function was to censor military and state secrets in publications to prevent leaks and maintain state security.

**In which languages is its Wikipedia page available?**
Its Wikipedia page is available in Arabic, Bulgarian, English, Spanish, Estonian, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Chinese.

## Why It Matters
The General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press played a crucial role in the Soviet Union's propaganda and surveillance system. It ensured that military and state secrets remained classified and prevented leaks that could undermine national security. Its dissolution in 1991 marked the end of a significant era in Soviet censorship and the transition to a more open media landscape. The agency's work had far-reaching implications for press freedom and state control over information in the Soviet era.

## Notable For
- Being a key part of the Soviet Union's propaganda and surveillance system
- Operating under the People's Commissariat for Education
- Dissolving in 1991, replaced by Roskomnadzor
- Having a Wikipedia page in multiple languages
- Being described in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia

## Body
### History
The General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press was established in 1922 by the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR. It was a key part of the Soviet Union's propaganda and surveillance system, functioning under the People's Commissariat for Education. The agency was responsible for censoring military and state secrets in publications to prevent leaks and maintain state security. It operated until its dissolution on December 26, 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

### Structure and Function
The agency was known by various names, including Главлит, Управление по охране военных и государственных тайн в печати, and Главное управление по охране военных и государственных тайн в печати. It was a government agency responsible for protecting state secrets in publications. Its primary function was to censor military and state secrets to prevent leaks and maintain state security.

### Replacement and Legacy
The General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press was replaced by Roskomnadzor after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The agency's work had a significant impact on press freedom and state control over information in the Soviet era. Its dissolution marked the end of a significant era in Soviet censorship and the transition to a more open media landscape.

### Wikipedia and Media Presence
The agency's Wikipedia page is available in multiple languages, including Arabic, Bulgarian, English, Spanish, Estonian, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Chinese. It is described in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia and has a commons category dedicated to it. The agency's work was documented in various sources, including the Great Soviet Encyclopedia and academic references.

### Image and Recognition
The agency is represented by an image of a Soviet censor from 1960, which is available on Wikimedia Commons. The agency's work was significant in the Soviet era and is recognized in various sources, including the Great Soviet Encyclopedia and academic references. The agency's dissolution in 1991 marked the end of a significant era in Soviet censorship.

## References

1. [Source](https://docs.historyrussia.org/ru/nodes/351258)
2. [Source](https://docs.historyrussia.org/ru/nodes/349961)
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013