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Requests for information about people held during Spanish Civil War or Second World War: Quarterly limit reached

Regarding a request for information about someone held as a prisoner of war or civilian internee during the Spanish Civil War or the Second World War.

The maximum number of requests that our staff can deal with has been reached (Learn more). Service will resume on the 20th of January 2025 at 8 AM (Geneva time). A form will be available at this address. Please fill it in. 

We may still be able to deal with requests of a humanitarian nature before then if:

  • you are the person concerned;
  • your request is linked to administrative formalities or a compensation claim;
  • you are seeking to determine the identity of a natural parent or grandparent.

Such requests should be sent to tracing.archives@icrc.org, together with supporting documents and all relevant information. Please make sure that your request meets one of the criteria above, because staff will not accept or reply to requests that do not.

For all other requests, please return to this page at the above mentionned date to fill out the request form which will then be available again.

 Meanwhile, here is a list of organizations that may be able to help in your research.

Useful links and addresses of other research services concerning the Second World War

Civilian victims of the Nazi regime (concentration camp internees, prisoners of war assigned to forced labour, other forced labourers, displaced persons)

Arolsen Archives
International Center on Nazi Persecution
Grosse Allee 5–9, 34454 Bad Arolsen, Germany
https://arolsen-archives.org/en/ 

German military personnel

Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt)
Eichborndamm 179, 13403 Berlin, Germany
www.dd-wast.de

American military personnel

National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138, United States of America
www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records

British military personnel

Army Personnel Centre, Historical Disclosures, Mail point 555, Kentigern House, 65 Brown Street, Glasgow, G2 8EX, United Kingdom
www.gov.uk/guidance/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

French prisoners of war, deportees, forced and voluntary labourers, and volunteers for the Compulsory Work Service in Germany

Service historique de la défense, Division des archives des victimes des conflits contemporains, Rue Neuve du Bourg l’Abbé, BP 552, 14307 Caen Cedex, France
www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr

Foreign military personnel who served in the French armed forces, notably from the French colonies and protectorates

Service historique de la défense, Centre des archives du personnel militaire, Caserne Bernadotte, 64023 Pau Cedex, France
www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/?q=content/les-instruments-de-recherche

Italian military personnel

Ministero della Difesa, Direzione Generale per il Personale Militare, V Reparto - 12 Divisione Esercito, Viale dell’Esercito 186, 00143, Rome, Italy

Polish military personnel or citizens :

Centralne Archiwum Wojskowe (Central Military Archives), 
ul. Czerwonych Beretów bl. 124, 00-910 Warsaw 72, Poland
www.caw.wp.mil.pl

The Institute of National Remembrance
Office of the Preservation and Dissemination of Archival Records
Center for Information on the Victims of World War II
ul. Klobucka 21, 02-699 Warsaw, Poland

Soviet military personnel :

Central Archive of the Russian Ministry of Defence, 
ul. Kirova 74, 142100, g. Podolsk, Moscow Region, Russian Federation