[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 188 (Monday, December 10, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO ALL OF THE MEMBER 
  STATES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRACING 
SERVICE (ITS) ON GRANTING OPEN ACCESS TO VAST HOLOCAUST AND OTHER WORLD 
        WAR II RELATED ARCHIVES LOCATED IN BAD AROLSEN, GERMANY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 10, 2007

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today with my good 
friends and original cosponsors of this important resolution, 
Representatives Robert Wexler, chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, 
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs 
Committee, and Mark Kirk to introduce a resolution expressing gratitude 
to all of the member states of the International Commission of the 
International Tracing Service (ITS) on ratifying the May 2006 Agreement 
to grant open access to vast Holocaust and other World War II-related 
archives located in Bad Arolsen, Germany.
  I am thankful for their bipartisan leadership, not only on this issue 
to open the Bad Arolsen archives, but on wider issues of anti-Semitism 
in general.
  This legislation is the culmination of longstanding efforts I have 
made with Representatives Wexler, Ros-Lehtinen, Kirk, and others to 
release these crucial Holocaust records.
  Madam Speaker, November 28, 2007, was a historic moment in time when 
for the first time in 62 years, Holocaust survivors, their descendants, 
researchers, and the public were allowed open access to the 
International Tracing Service (ITS) archives in Bad Arolsen, Germany, 
the largest closed Holocaust-era archives in the world.
  These significant archives contain 50 million records on the fates of 
some 17.5 million individual victims of Nazi brutality. Everything from 
lists of the names of Holocaust concentration camp victims murdered on 
Hitler's birthday to death camp prisoners' personal affect cards are 
included in these records, and each holds an important place in the 
memory of a victim.
  Until earlier this year, when Holocaust survivors requested 
information from the ITS, they were shamefully often provided with 
letters written entirely in German with incomplete or misinformation 
about the horrors they had experienced. Often survivors passed away 
prior to ever being provided the truth about their experiences under 
Nazi persecution. Until only 2 weeks ago, these historic materials were 
held secret from researchers and research institutions and the general 
public.

  In today's world, filled with growing international intolerance 
including anti-Semitism, hate, racial bigotry, xenophobia, and 
religious discrimination, it could not be more urgent and critical to 
allow for unfettered access to these archives.
  The ultimate release of these documents serves to further 
delegitimize international leaders who insist on spewing Holocaust 
denial and other anti-Semitic rhetoric.
  Allowing for open access to these historical records also contributes 
to the world's collective memory of the Holocaust atrocities and 
ensures that these historic documents will be preserved and shared with 
future generations when survivors are no longer among us.
  I am thankful for the efforts made by the Holocaust Memorial Museum, 
the State Department, survivor groups, and this body of Congress to 
pressure the member states of the International Tracing Service to 
ratify the 1955 Bonn Accords and throw open the doors of these 
archives.
  The new leadership of the International Committee of the Red Cross at 
the ITS should also be commended for their efforts to provide more 
expeditious and comprehensive responses to survivors and their 
descendants. A year ago, the ITS faced a 140,000 backlog of survivor 
and others' inquiries. Today, the ITS has reduced the requests to less 
than half of that amount and is committed to processing incoming 
requests within 8 weeks.
  Our collaborative bipartisan efforts have truly paid off. I am most 
appreciative that the remaining European ITS member states ultimately 
recognized the justifiable and moral importance of combating modern day 
anti-Semitism with the release of these archives.
  This resolution serves to commend all parties who assisted in opening 
the archives and increasing their accessibility to all. Finally, 
remaining survivors and researchers alike will be able to view these 
tremendously important documents and hopefully find closure on one of 
the darkest moments in history. Our efforts send a robust message to 
the world that the atrocities and murders of the Holocaust victims 
shall forever remain at the forefront of our collective and individual 
memories.
  May we never forget the horrors of the Holocaust and view this 
historic moment as a constant reminder of what happens when humanity is 
silenced and evil permitted to wage war on the innocent.
  I ask for my colleagues' support and urge the swift passage of this 
resolution.

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