Start of the Project

I began my work on the files in autumn 2015. I found the files of around 1500+ proceedings spread across

  • 24 moving boxes, the files of the individual proceedings held together with loose-leaf binders and
  • many metres of files in hanging files.

A small part had already been processed. My tasks were

  • Creating data records with information about the applicant for later entry in a database.
  • Removing metal parts of all kinds (staples, paper clips). The yield: approx. 1300 grams of metal :-)
  • Alphabetical sorting of the files
  • filing the files alphabetically sorted in archive boxes

The type of information to be included in the records was not precisely specified, which led to some extra work later on.  It was also initially unclear what information was actually contained in the files.

While I was working, I read the documents and was particularly moved by the applicants' accounts. I came up with the idea of publishing these statements.

Development of goals

My project goals evolved accordingly:

  • Publication of the affidavits: These often describe the persecution of the claimants in great detail
  • Describing the types of documents contained in the files and their contents: these provide additional information about the persecution and biographical details
  • Amending the records with the kind of documents contained in each claimants' file. The size of the files varies considerably.
  • Amending the records with information from external sources, such as Documents from other archives
  • Description of the compensation process, also to show at which stage of the process the documents have been created.
  • Links to descriptions of forced labour camps, concentration camps, ghettos
  • Compilation of statistics on applicants
  • Illustration with photographs and maps

Future Developments

The development of the website is far from complete:

  • All kinds of errors still need to be corrected
  • There are still files in Kittl's inventory (Kittl's archive) that need to be added
  • Information already available from external archives still needs to be integrated
  • Finally, the original files from the compensation offices can be consulted for each of the claimants, if this has not already been done. My thanks go to the
    • Landesamt für Finanzen (State Office for Finance), Amt für Wiedergutmachung (Office for Restitution), Rhineland-Palatinate,
    • Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (State Archives of Baden-Württemberg)/Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg (State Archives in Ludwigsburg), and the
    • Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv (Lower Saxony State Archives), Hanover Department
    • Bayerischen Landesentschädigungsamt (Bavarian State Compensation Office), Munich
  • include statements from the files of relatives or witnesses or create own biographies (See Berko Deicz, Towia Grilliches, Zosia Nachmann)
  • Suggestions, requests and error reports are welcome!

There is still a lot to do, and the website will be further developed. Changes are constantly being made.