SCREENING PROCEDURES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DEBRECEN (1945–46). After the end of the World War II, at the beginning of the rebuilding of Hungary, the irst aim of the new government was the cleaning of the social and political life and the removal of the followers of the former political systems from the public ofices. So in the irst half of 1945, according to the orders and laws of the Provisory Government, People’s Tribunals and political screening committees were formed in every town with the membership of the ive so-called democratic parties (Communist Party, Social Democrat Party, National Peasants’ Party, Bourgeoisdemocrat Party, Small-holders’ Party). It was also necessary to screen the employees of the public institutions, especially the higher education because the “reactionary” and the extreme right ideologies were very strong in these middle-class circles, and many of them were the member of the Hungarian Nazi parties (the Arrow- Cross Movements) and other right radical social associations (Turul Association, Volksbund etc.). his paper presents the working, the judgement and the mistakes of the screening committee of the employees of the University of Debrecen. his committee was formed in May 1945 and inished its work in the end of January
1946. In this short period the committee examined near 700 cases, but only 49 employees (professors, lectors, secretaries, other oicers, etc.) were condemned. he analyses of the working of the screening committee at University of Debrecen expands with new facts the image created about the spirit of the age, the higher education and the society of Hungary in the irst years after the World War II.