Archival Openness & Access
Task Force Declaration on Archival Openness and Access, Washington, December 3, 1998
(Germany, Israel, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States)
The recent opening of archives bearing on the Holocaust ("Shoah"), in particular those related to Nazilooted gold and other confiscated assets, has made possible important new historical research on these complex issues. As a result, the international community's understanding of this tragic period in the history of the twentieth century is being strengthened substantially as scholars gain access to millions of pages of documents for the first time.
The presentations made to the December 1997 London Nazi Gold Conference and subsequent work on the part of historical commissions in many nations demonstrate that although much progress has been made, there is still more work to be done in bringing the full historical record to light. The governments comprising the International Task Force on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research agree on the importance of encouraging all archives, both public and private, to make their holdings more widely accessible. This will facilitate further research and encourage greater understanding of the Holocaust and its historical context.
The Washington Conference on HolocaustEra Assets provides an ideal opportunity for all participating governments to join us in endorsing the importance of full archival openness, and undertaking to work toward the goal of making all documentation bearing on the Holocaust and the fate of Naziconfiscated assets available to researchers. The adoption of December 31, 1999, as a target date to meet this goal will reinforce the commitment of humanity to learn from the history of this century as we enter a new millennium.