NSDAP Membership Records Online: Family History Revealed
The US National Archives has released millions of Nazi Party membership records online. People can now search for information about their ancestors who were members. This release is causing debate and prompting families to confront their family history.
The National Archives digitized the records, which were previously held in index form. This allows anyone to search for information about individuals who were members of the Nazi Party. Many German families are now investigating their family history in response to this release. The move has sparked debate about the extent of Nazi involvement and Germany’s efforts to deal with its past. The ZEIT newspaper created a tool to help people search the records. Over one million people in Germany have accessed the database.
Summarized from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
Highlights
Records Now Online
The US National Archives has made millions of Nazi Party membership records accessible online.
Family History Research
Individuals can now research their family histories using the released records.
German Family Confrontation
The release is prompting German families to confront the actions of their ancestors.
Significant Historical Gain
Historian Frank Bajohr calls the release a significant gain for research.
Millions of Accesses
Over one million people in Germany have accessed the database.
Perspectives
- The US National Archives released millions of Nazi Party membership records.
- The records are now available online for public access.
- This allows people to research their family history.
- The release raises questions about the actions of ancestors.
Some German families are confronting uncomfortable family history and potential guilt.
NOS Nieuws, DW Deutsch, DW English, ZEIT Online
Historians see this as a significant gain for research and understanding the extent of Nazi involvement.
Der Spiegel, Der Standard, FAZ, ZEIT Online, tagesschau