“There are many more questions waiting to be answered”

Ms. Meier-Osiński, how important are the Arolsen Archives for families in countries like Poland, Russia, Ukraine, or Belarus?

The Nazis acted with exceptional brutality in this region, persecuting, imprisoning, and murdering many millions of people. The documents held in our archives can help shed light on the fates of individual victims.

Countless families in Central and Eastern Europe still don’t know what happened to their relatives. There are several reasons for this. For instance, in the Soviet Union, former forced laborers were not seen as victims, but were stigmatized as collaborators. Fear of repression led many to remain silent.
Another reason is that many families don’t know who they can turn to. The Arolsen Archives and our extensive online archive are still relatively unknown in this part of the world. That’s why we’re working hard to raise awareness through a variety of campaigns, exhibitions, and projects. Traditional media – Polish television is one example – also play an important role in helping us reach people who have previously never heard of the Arolsen Archives or the services we provide.

What kind of people seek information nowadays?

Inquiries from people who survived Nazi persecution have become very rare because of their advanced age. Today, it’s usually the descendants of victims – their children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren – who want to learn more about the fate of family members. The younger generation are now searching for answers to questions they were never able to ask their parents or grandparents.

Do the Arolsen Archives have extensive documentary holdings for Eastern Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union?

Since the 1990s, we’ve been working with numerous institutions to systematically expand our collection. For example, we hold copies of documents from Russian archives that are no longer accessible in their original form. That shows just how valuable such documents can become.

We also support local archives by assisting them with digitization. Our cooperation with the Stutthof Memorial is a good example. Our partners receive document scans complete with metadata, and we publish these digital collections in our online archive. That makes it quick and easy for anyone who is interested to find the documents in one central place. Providing support to Ukrainian archives is particularly urgent at present. We’re helping them to digitize their collections on victims of Nazi persecution.

How do families react when they receive documents from the Arolsen Archives?

They’re often amazed at the wealth of information we can provide. In some cases, we can reconstruct an entire path of persecution without gaps, but in others, we can only provide information on certain stages. But even that can be hugely important if very little is known. Descendants often come to see their relatives in a completely new light. And sometimes, families finally find the certainty they’ve been searching for for decades.

What’s the significance of the #StolenMemory initiative for Central and Eastern Europe?

The Arolsen Archives still hold personal effects belonging to hundreds of Polish persecutees and over 300 persecutees from the countries of the former Soviet Union. #StolenMemory aims to draw attention to this collection and help us find relatives in Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Since the traveling exhibition began touring Poland in a converted shipping container, we’ve started to receive more attention. We’re taking advantage of that to tell people about our collection and about our work on behalf of those who were persecuted by the Nazis.

But we also want to address the interested public and encourage them to participate. Anyone can join in the campaign to help search for information about victims of persecution and return their personal belongings to their families.

Is there a case that particularly sticks in your mind?

Every encounter is extraordinary when you consider how the trauma of the German occupation continues to shape family life and memory to this day. Nearly every family is affected, and these stories are passed down from one generation to the next. It’s always very special when the last remaining possessions of a murdered family member– a watch, a wedding ring, jewelry, or family photos – appear seemingly out of nowhere after more than 80 years. When the relatives hold these objects in their own hands, everyone realizes the full weight of what happened.

What effect does it have on the families when effects are returned to them?

When we return personal belongings to the families of victims of persecution, we usually find they know practically nothing about the fate of their relatives. We can often give them important information, such as where their relative is buried, for example. So it’s still all about clarifying fates, even after all this time. Making contact with families and documenting their memories also has an important role to play in the formation of collective memories.