The reports that a decision has already been reached to transfer the Arolsen archives–the war records affecting some 16,000,000 victims of Nazi persecution–to West German administration was denied by George L. Warren, Adviser on Refugees and Displaced Persons of the State Department.
In reply to an inquiry from the World Jewish Congress, the State Department official emphasized that the fate of the vast repository has yet to be determined by the three Western powers and that the International Red Cross is presently examining the archives at Arolsen with a view to presenting proposals for the future servicing of the records.
In making public the contents of Mr. Warren’s latest communication, the World Jewish Congress pointed out that it has received numerous “alarmed inquiries” from persons who survived Nazi persecution and from relatives of victims, expressing “deep concern” at the possibility that the American, British and French High Commissioners may turn over jurisdiction of the archives to the Federal German Republic.
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