Reckoning with the Past: The Arolsen Archives and Transitional Justice

The Arolsen Archives (formerly the International Tracing Service) was established in 1948 in order to document the crimes committed by the National Socialists and the fates of the victims. For decades, this organization has helped relatives of victims find answers about the fates of their loved ones, helped survivors establish their eligibility for compensation, and more. Today, the Arolsen Archives contain the largest global collection on victims and survivors of the Nazi persecution. This virtual event will feature two staff members from the Arolsen Archives who will discuss the history of the Archives, the work they do today, and the role that archives can play in transitional justice.

Speaker Bios:

Kim Dresel is Archival Theory and Strategies Officer at the Arolsen Archives – International Center on Nazi Persecution. She studied History (M.A.) in Bremen and Berlin and Archival Science (M.A.) at the University of Applied Sciences in Potsdam. Kim gained her first fundamental archival experience between 2015 and 2017 as a student assistant in the archives of the Jewish Museum Berlin. She later taught Archival Science at the University of Applied Sciences in Potsdam. Her interests include critical archival studies, (international) interlinking of archives and archival material, and the resolution of ethical questions when recording and providing sensitive (meta)data.

Franziska Schubert has been Head of Reference Services at the Arolsen Archives since 2021. She studied history (M.A.) in Jena and Leipzig and archival science (M.A.) at the University of Applied Sciences in Potsdam. Since 2012, she has worked in various archives and spent several years in the Indexing Department at the Arolsen Archives. Her focus is on expanding access to archival materials and making them as user-friendly as possible.

Giora Zwilling has been working at the Arolsen Archives since 2017. After previously working at Yad Vashem as head of digitization and arrangement, he took over as head of the indexing department and deputy head of the archives at the Arolsen Archives. Since 2022, he has been head of the largest department at the Arolsen Archives—Digital Transformation and Archives (DTA).

Registration and Additional Information:

This event is free and open to everyone – students, faculty, staff, community members, local educators, and more!– but advanced registration is requested. Register here.

This event is part of a series being co-hosted by the KSC Archives and the Cohen Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies during the 2025-2026 academic year. Please emailcoheninstitute@keene.edu with any questions.

This event is part of the Cohen Center calendar.