With its approx. 30 million original documents, the International Tracing Service (ITS) in Bad Arolsen is one of the key institutions shedding light on the fate of Nazi victims. For example, the ITS archive contains documents about Anne Frank, Simon Wiesenthal and Willy Brandt.

The beginning of the year marked a major watershed in the institution’s history: Since January, the Federal Archives has been the ITS’s new institutional partner, taking over from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) after more than 60 years. The new International Commission for the International Tracing Service will convene in Berlin this week for its constituent session.

On 16 January, Foreign Minister Westerwelle will receive the ITS, its new Director Professor Böhling as well as representatives of ITS member states, the Federal Archives and the ICRC at the Federal Foreign Office.