Holocaust Documents



The Arolsen Archives has an extensive collection of Holocaust records which include documentation of those who died during the Holocaust and those who survived.

With the end of World War Two in 1945, portions of Germany were divided between a post-war American zone and post-war French, British and Russian zones. The records in the Arolsen Archives are from the American zone. Working with Ancestry.com, those documents have been made digital and search-able to become part of the Ancestry.com databases. Documents from the British, French and Russian zones will be added in 2020.

Also, records of passenger lists of displaced persons for the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa are included. Many displaced people (those forced out of their homes) include Holocaust survivors, and former concentration camp inmates and forced laborers. About 1.7 million records along with 300,000 images are part of this database. There is information on some of the people who died, including where some are buried.

Ancestry.com has made the search of records by name, birth date and place, destination, or by browsing resettlement locations (displaced camps).

The online site for the Holocaust and aftermath of WW Two is titled ‘Always Remember‘ and became available to everyone FREE on July 31, 2019. Ancestry.com is also working with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum to make digital their 1.8 million records and photos.

So even if you think you had no ancestors as displaced persons or placed in concentration camps, it is worth checking out the database. Many Americans were in Europe before and during the war. Additional records will be added.

Photos: Martha Luckhardt from Nebraska – USA citizen – inventories of personal estates of foreigners; American, Russian, British and French Zones; and those in a displaced camp in 1947.

Related Familytree.com Blogs:

Nazi SS Guards

Holocaust Records

Ancestry.com War Indexes

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