Guide to the International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service Records, 1947-1984
2006.0007

Summary Information

Repository
Tauber Holocaust Library
Creator
International Committee of the Red Cross. International Tracing Service.
Title
International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service records, 1947-1984
ID
2006.0007
Date [bulk]
Bulk, 1955-1977
Date [inclusive]
1947-1984
Extent
1.5 Linear feet
General Physical Description note
Good
Language
Multiple languages
Language of Materials note
Reports are published in French, German and English versions.
Abstract
This collection is comprised of operations and annual reports for the International Red Cross - International Tracing Service (ITS). Majority of the reports dated from 1955-1977. The ITS is known for its archives which holds records of Germans and non-Germans held in German concentration and labor camps.

Preferred Citation note

International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service records - 2006.007, Tauber Holocaust Library - JFCS Holocaust Center, San Francisco, California

Return to Table of Contents »


Biographical/Historical note

The International Tracing Service originated in 1943, when the section for international affairs at the British Red Cross became a tracing bureau, as well as a registration point for missing persons. The Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces took over the work of the Central Tracing Bureau in 1944. The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA), the body responsible for caring for and rehabilitating non-German refugees, took over the Central Tracing Bureau’s activities in 1945. In 1947, after UNRRA’s dissolution, responsibility for the Central Tracing Bureau was transferred to the International Refugee organization (IRO). In January 1948 the Central Tracing Bureau was renamed the International Tracing Service (ITS).

In 1951, the ITS was placed under the direction of the Allied High Commission for Germany (HICOG). When the Occupation Statute in Germany was repealed in 1954, supervision of the International Tracing Service was placed under the direction of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

An international commission (IC) to supervise the ITS was formed, consisting of 11 member states: Belgium, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom and the United States of America. The ICRC appointed a Swiss citizen as director, acting under the direction of the ICRC, and the Federal Republic of Germany provided funding for ITS operations. The ITS has responded to millions of requests for information regarding the fate of Germans and non-Germans who were held in German concentration and labor camps. Its archive houses information relating to more than 17.5 million civilians persecuted by the Nazis. Individuals were able to contact ITS with inquiries, but there was no direct access to records. In April 2006, ITS agreed to open its archives for research purposes, and has provided digital copies of some of its records to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Yad Vashem.

Return to Table of Contents »


Scope and Contents note

The collection is comprised of Operations Reports for the years 1947 and 1955-1977; Annual Reports for the years 1983 and 1984; and informational material for the years 1947, 1966 and 1986. The reports were produced in more than one language, and the collection includes French, German and English versions. See the container list for specific information.

Reports in the collection were issued quarterly for the years 1955-1962, semi-annually for the years 1963-1970, and annually for 1970-1976 and 1982-1983.

The Operations Reports detail the acquisition by ITS of a vast variety of documents, including lists and registries regarding individuals transported, interned, executed, and/or liberated during World War II, as well as lists of occupants of displaced persons camps. They report ITS statistics on numbers of inquiries received, reports and certificates (including death certificates) issued. The reports also include information about the administration and financial workings of ITS. As less new documentation became available, the reports focus on the activities, administration and accomplishment of the ITS.

Informational publications in this collection date are from the years 1947, 1966, and 1986. The 1947 publication, in French, describes the work performed by the International Committee for the Red Cross during World War II, prior to the official establishment of the ITS. The 1966 publications recount the 20 year history of tracing activities and provide an overview of procedures. The 1986 publications provide historical background on ITS, and information on its activities and methodology.

Return to Table of Contents »


Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Tauber Holocaust Library

JFCS Holocaust Center
2245 Post Street
San Francisco, CA, 94115
415-449-3717
[email protected]

Conditions Governing Access note

There are no restrictions to access for this collection.

Conditions Governing Use note

There are no restrictions to use for this collection.

Custodial History note

Provenance of this collection is unknown.

Return to Table of Contents »


Collection Inventory

Operations reports 

Rapport du Comité de la Croix-Rouge sur son activité pendant la seconde guerre mondiale (1er September 1939-30 juin 1947): Annexes Juin 1948 

Rapport No. 1: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activite (couvrant la période du 6 mail 1955 au 30 september 1955) [1955] 

Report No. 2: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 1955) [1956] 

Report No. 3: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to March 31, 1956) [1956] 

Report No. 4: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from April 1 to June 30, 1956) [1956] 

Report No. 5: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to September 30, 1956) [1956] 

Report No. 6: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 1956 and the year 1956) [1957] 

Report No. 7: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to March 31, 1957) [1957] 

Report No. 8: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from April 1 to June 30, 1957) [1957] 

Report No. 9: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to September 30, 1957) [1957] 

Report No. 10: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 1957 and the year 1957) [1958] 

Report No. 11: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to March 31, 1958) [1958] 

Report No. 12: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from April 1 to June 30, 1958) [1958] 

Report No. 13: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to September 30, 1958) [1958] 

Report No. 14: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 1958 and the whole year 1958) [1959] 

Report No. 15: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to March 31, 1959) [1959] 

Report No. 16: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from April 1 to June 30, 1959) [1959] 

Report No. 17: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to September 30, 1959) [1959] 

Report No. 18: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 1959 and the whole year 1959) [1960] 

Report No. 19: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to March 31, 1960) [1960] 

Report No. 20: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from April 1 to June 30, 1960) [1960] 

Report No. 21: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to September 30, 1960) [1960] 

Report No. 22: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 1960 with a review of the past ten years’ operations from 1951-1960) [1961] 

Report No. 23: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to June 30, 1961) [1961] 

Report No. 24: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1961 with a review of the year 1961) [1962] 

Report No. 25: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to June 30, 1962) [1962] 

Report No. 26: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1962 with a review of the year 1962) [1963] 

Report No. 27: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to June 30, 1963) [1963] 

Report No. 28: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1963 with a review of the year 1963) [1964] 

Report No. 29: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to June 30, 1964) [1964] 

Report No. 30: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1964 with a review of the year 1964) [1965] 

Report No. 30: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1964 with a review of the year 1964) [1965] 

Report No. 32: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1965 with a review of the year 1965) [1966] 

Rapport No. 33: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activité (couvrant la Période du 1er Janvier au 30 Juin 1966) [1966] 

Bericht Nr. 33: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Januar bis zum 30. Juni 1966) [1966] 

Rapport No. 34: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activité (couvrant la période du 1er juillet au 31 décembre 1966, ainsqui que l’anneé 1966 dans son ensemble) [1967] 

Bericht Nr. 34: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Juli bis zum 31. Dezember 1966, mit einem Rückblick auf das ganze Jahr 1966) [2967] 

Report No. 34: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1966 with a review of the year 1966) [1967] 

Rapport No. 35: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activité (couvrant la Période du 1er Janvier au 30 Juin 1967) [1967] 

Bericht Nr. 35: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Januar bis zum 30. Juni 1967) [1967] 

Report No. 35: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to June 30, 1967) [1967] 

Rapport No. 36: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activité (couvrant la période du 1er juillet au 31 décembre 1967, ainsqui que l’anneé 1967 dans son ensemble) [1968] 

Bericht Nr. 36: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Juli bis zum 31. Dezember 1967, mit einem Rückblick auf das ganze Jahr 1967) [1968] 

Report No. 36: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1967 with a review of the year 1967) [1967] 

Rapport No. 37: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activité (couvrant la Période du 1er Janvier au 30 Juin 1968) [1968] 

Bericht Nr. 37: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Januar bis zum 30. Juni 1968) [1968] 

Bericht Nr. 37: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Januar bis zum 30. Juni 1968) [1968] 

Rapport No. 38: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activité (couvrant la période du 1er juillet au 31 décembre 1968, ainsqui que l’anneé 1968 dans son ensemble) [1969] 

Bericht Nr. 38: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Juli bis zum 31. Dezember 1968, mit einem Rückblick auf das ganze Jahr 1968) [1969] 

Report No. 38: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1968 with a review of the year 1968) [1969] 

Rapport No. 39: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activité (couvrant la Période du 1er Janvier au 30 Juin 1969) [1969] 

Bericht Nr. 39: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Januar bis zum 30. Juni 1969) [1969] 

Report No. 39: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from January 1 to June 30, 1969) [1969] 

Rapport No. 40: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches. Rapport D’Activité (couvrant la période du 1er juillet au 31 décembre 1969, ainsqui que l’anneé 1969 dans son ensemble) [1970] 

Bericht Nr. 40: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst. Tätigkeitsbericht (für die Zeit vom 1. Juli bis zum 31. Dezember 1969, mit einem Rückblick auf das ganze Jahr 1969) [1970] 

Report No. 40: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service. Operations Report (covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 1969 with a review of the year 1969) [1970] 

Rapport No. 41: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: Premier semestre 1970 [1970] 

Bericht Nr. 41: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst, Arolsen. Tätigkeitsbericht 1. Januar bis zum 30. Juni 1970 [1970] 

Rapport No. 42: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1970 [1971] 

Rapport No. 42: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1970 [1971] 

Rapport No. 42: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1970 [1971] 

Rapport No. 43: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1971 [1971] 

Bericht Nr. 43: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst, Arolsen. Tätigkeitsbericht :1971 [1972] 

Report No. 43: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service, Arolsen. Operations Report: 1971 [1972] 

Rapport No. 44: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1972 [1973] 

Bericht Nr. 44: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst, Arolsen. Tätigkeitsbericht :1972 [1973] 

Report No. 44: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service, Arolsen. Operations Report: 1972 [1973] 

Rapport No. 45: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1973 [1974] 

Bericht Nr. 45: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst, Arolsen. Tätigkeitsbericht :1973 [1974] 

Report No. 45: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service, Arolsen. Operations Report: 1973 [1974] 

Rapport No. 46: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1974 [1975] 

Bericht Nr. 46: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst, Arolsen. Tätigkeitsbericht :1974 [1975] 

Report No. 46: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service, Arolsen. Operations Report: 1974 [1975] 

Rapport No. 47: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1975 [1976] 

Bericht Nr. 47: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst, Arolsen. Tätigkeitsbericht :1975 [1976] 

Report No. 47: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service, Arolsen. Operations Report: 1975 [1976] 

Rapport No. 48: Comite International de la Croix-Rouge: Service international de Recherches, Arolsen. Rapport D’Activité: 1976 [1977] 

Bericht Nr. 48: Comite International de la Croix-Route: Internationaler Suchdienst, Arolsen. Tätigkeitsbericht :1976 [1977] 

Report No. 48: International Committee of the Red Cross: International Tracing Service, Arolsen. Operations Report: 1976 [1977] 

Return to Table of Contents »


Annual reports 

International Committee of the Red Cross: ITS – International Tracing Service, Service International de Recherches, Internationaler Suchdienst – Arolsen. Annual Report 1982 [1983] 

International Committee of the Red Cross: ITS – International Tracing Service, Service International de Recherches, Internationaler Suchdienst – Arolsen. Annual Report 1983 [1984] 

Return to Table of Contents »


Informational material 

Inter Arma Caritas: L’oevre du Comité international de la Croix-Rouge pendant la seconde guerre mondiale 1947 

The International Tracing Service in Arolsen (1945-1965) [1966] 

Le Service International de Recheches a Arolsen (1945-1965) [1966] 

International Tracing Service – Service International De Recherches – Internationaler Suchdienst [part 1] Summer 1986 

International Tracing Service – Service International De Recherches – Internationaler Suchdienst [part 2] Summer 1986 

Return to Table of Contents »