The Arolsen Archives are committed to preserving their unique collection of documents on Nazi persecution and to making them accessible worldwide. We search for the traces of victims and survivors of the National Socialist terror regime, we answer inquiries, and – even today – we are still helping to reunite families that were torn apart by Nazi crimes.

The documents of the Arolsen Archives offer enormous potential for research. We participate in conferences and workshops to establish good contacts with specialists from various disciplines and strengthen our international network. We also use publications and lectures to draw attention to interesting topics for research. Researchers receive the best possible support for their projects.

By keeping the memory of the crimes committed in the Nazi era alive and reminding people of the millions of victims, we also aim to increase awareness of antisemitism and attacks on democracy today. We support local educational projects and memorial initiatives by providing traveling exhibitions, teach-the-teacher workshops, online and social media offerings, as well as easy-to-use teaching materials.

Documentation and archiving

A radical transformation: Just ten years ago, the Arolsen Archives operated as a tracing agency and were closed to the public. They are now an open, user-friendly archive, which offers a wide range of professional services.

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Clarifying fates

Every year, we receive inquiries on more than 20,000 persons. Today these inquiries come primarily from the children and grandchildren of the victims of Nazi persecution. What kinds of questions do these families have and how do our tracing staff go about looking for answers?

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Outreach Central Eastern Europe

Our “Outreach Eastern Europe” unit takes the Arolsen Archives and their services to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. We help victims’ families to clarify the fates of their relatives, and we work together with local partners to develop new educational offerings and information services.

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