Bad Arolsen, Germany
Explore Europe’s largest archive on the history of Nazi crimes and their consequences, exchange perspectives on research and education potential, and carry out individual research for projects. The International Tracing Service (ITS) in Bad Arolsen and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) will host a three-day research seminar on the ITS archive for interested members of local historical, educational and remembrance initiatives from Germany and Europe.
The ITS Archive
The seminar will focus on the ITS archive’s more than 30 million documents on the Holocaust, concentration camps and other places of detention, on Nazi forced labor in German cities, towns and municipalities as well as on the post-war assistance the Allies provided to displaced persons (DPs). The original documents of the ITS archive are part of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme. The ITS archive offers a broad basis for research and education. The ITS was established and still serves today as a search and information bureau for former Nazi victims and their relatives, and thus is particularly suited for research on the basis of victims’ names. It also offers much for historical inquiry with regard to geographic location.
Most of the collections consist of records on individuals, such as index cards, case files and lists. One key to the archive is the Central Name Index, which includes more than 50 million cards pertaining to the fate of 17.5 million individuals. The documentary holdings are structured by subject. For instance, large collections related to forced labor are sorted by place and district. While the archive has its geographic focus on the territory of the former German Reich or the territories conquered by Germany, it also includes material on almost all countries in Europe. The archive also holds approximately three million post-war administrative case files regarding the fates of individual Nazi victims traced by the ITS, which contain the complete correspondence between the ITS and the inquiring party (the person in question, their relatives or involved authorities).
As the collection has largely been digitized, the holdings can not only be viewed on screen, but may also be systematically searched with regard to, for example, documents on a country, region or place. Researchers can store digital copies of relevant documents easily and free of charge. A first overview of the holdings is provided via the general inventory, which is accessible online (currently, however, this includes only part of the indexed data and no information related to individuals).
Aims of the Workshop
The seminar will, in several phases, chiefly focus on exploring the ITS archive. Participants will also have the opportunity to exchange ideas and perspectives on their projects, as well as research and education potential. How can data related to individuals best be organized? How can research findings be visualized geographically? Where can additional information be found? And how do we ideally use archival documents for purposes of education and remembrance? These are just some of the questions you might have and which can be addressed during the workshop.
We specifically hope to include participants who are members of local historical, educational and remembrance initiatives, usually ineligible for research grants. After all, these very initiatives have played an important role in researching and confronting the history of Nazi crimes over the past three decades. Members of initiatives without institutional ties or permanent posts, who often face financial obstacles in making research trips, are particularly encouraged to apply.
Practical Information
The seminar will take place at the ITS in Bad Arolsen, June 25 – 27, 2018. The workshop language will be German and, as necessary, partly English. Participants will arrive in Bad Arolsen on the evening of June 24th. The seminar is part of a joint effort taken by ITS and the USHMM to increase the visibility of the unique ITS archival collection.
Interested candidates are requested to send their application by e-mail to historical-research [at] its-arolsen [dot] org. Your application should include a short letter of motivation, a concise description of your initiative or institution, and an outline of the project for which you would like to carry out research (about 1-2 pages). The deadline for applications is May 1, 2018. Candidates will be selected and notified by May 15th.
The cost of participation in the seminar will be covered by the hosts and includes:
- reimbursement for roundtrip travel costs (second-class train fare): up to EUR 250 within Germany or up to EUR 400 within Europe
- three nights at a hotel in Bad Arolsen
- all meals
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at historical-research [at] its-arolsen [dot] org.