Anniversary of the end of the Second World War - 80 years of clarifying fates through the GRC Tracing Service
The 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War on 8 May 2025 also marks the 80th anniversary of the “Second World War fate clarification” by the German Red Cross (GRC) Tracing Service. A task that is not only historically significant but also relevant to society today. GRC President Gerda Hasselfeldt states: “With the ‘Second World War fate clarification,’ we are addressing a task deeply connected to the history of the GRC itself. Today, as in the past, the GRC Tracing Service is making an important contribution to society at large by coming to terms with the consequences of the war.”
In 2024, the GRC Tracing Service alone received approximately 7,000 inquiries to clarify the fate of people who went missing within the context of the Second World War. Most requests continue to be made by the generation that lived through the war (parents, spouses, fiancés, siblings, children, nephews, nieces). However, there is also increasing interest among the generation of grandchildren who want to help their parents and grandparents in their search to clarify the fate of their loved ones. Thanks to its extensive records with information on over 20 million people searching for and being searched for, the GRC Tracing Service can provide families with valuable information on the whereabouts and fates of their relatives. In 43 per cent of cases, the information can help clarify the fate of those reported missing. ‘It is not uncommon to find records documenting the unsuccessful search for missing relatives. Many times, it is worthwhile for families to submit a new request to the GRC Tracing Service because, since the 1990s, the GRC has been able to access extensive new information on prisoners of war and civilian internees in the former Soviet archives,’ the GRC President continued.
Since 1953, the GRC Tracing Service has been institutionally supported by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI). On World Red Cross Day, also celebrated on 8 May, the GRC is encouraging affected relatives to submit their requests for clarification on the fate of war-missing persons to the GRC Tracing Service: ‘We are grateful for the support we have received for over 70 years in carrying out this core humanitarian task. We remain committed to always clarifying the fates of relatives,’ says Gerda Hasselfeldt.
The press office is happy to arrange interviews with the GRC President and the GRC Tracing Service.
Would you like to clarify the fate of a missing relative? An online search can be carried out via the GRC Tracing Service website: Search query Second World War – GRC Tracing Service
The Zeitzeugengespräche (Contemporary Witness Interviews) project documents the task of clarifying the fate of people who went missing during the Second World War and the important contribution made by the GRC Tracing Service to German society in the post-war period: www.drk-suchdienst.de/zeitzeugen
Media reports (available in German)
Further information on how the GRC Tracing Service works to clarify the fate of persons who went missing during the Second World War
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