Ancestry Unveils Two Unique Holocaust Record Collections

Ancestry announced that they have digitized millions of Holocaust and Nazi persecution related archives. These new records will be accessible globally to the public – members and non-members alike – on a permanent basis.

Ancestry partnered with Arolsen Archives, an international center on Nazi persecution with the world’s most comprehensive archive on victims of National Socialism, who granted Ancestry access to publish the digital images of these records. The collection contains millions of names and other critical information about some of those affected by Holocaust and Nazi persecution.

These records are now searchable online. Previous to the partnership between Ancestry and Arolsen Archives, the search process was cumbersome, requiring manual requests for document copies that could take time for the archive to locate and provide.

This collection includes:

Africa, Asia & Europe Passenger Lists of Displaced Persons (1946-1971) 

This collection tracks people relocated by the war as they journeyed to rebuild their lives. It includes displaced persons leaving Germany and other European ports and airports between 1946-1971. The majority of the immigrants listed in this collection are displaced persons – Holocaust survivors, former concentration camp inmates and forced laborers, as well as refugees from Central and Eastern European countries and certain non-European countries. This collection includes 1.7 million records and 300K images.

Europe, Registration fo Foreigners & German Individuals Persecuted (1939-1947)

Registers of those living in Germany and German occupied territories with non-German citizenship, stateless persons and also German Jews. This collection is not restricted to people who were incarcerated in camps or other locations. These documents may also include information on those who died, including burial information. This collection includes 9.9 million records and 900K images.

Copies of these records will be donated to Arolsen Archives and to the 11-nation International Commission of digital copy holders of the archives including Yad Vashem in Israel and the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., to post on their website as well.

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