Yad Vashem documents the events of the Shoah by collecting and safeguarding millions of pieces of evidence so that an accurate and detailed historical record of the atrocities committed may be preserved and disseminated. With some 190 million pages of documentation, 129,000 survivor testimonies, and hundreds of thousands of original photographs, films, diaries and documents, Yad Vashem’s Archives contain the largest collection of Holocaust archival material in the world, housing one of the most important parts of the Jewish People’s modern heritage. Each item enlightens us in its own way, helping recreate the Jewish world prior to the war, the anguish and terror during the Holocaust, and Jewish life in its aftermath, passing on the stories of both the victims and the survivors. Our archival collections serve as the basis for research scholars and historians around the globe and are the resource for the general public.

In order to preserve the documents for future generations, and to enable easy access to the Archives, an experienced professional staff that includes archivists, historians and conservation experts is employed. The materials undergo an intake and organization process; they are catalogued in stages in a professional manner and stored under optimal conservation conditions. Documents requiring individual preservation are treated in the restoration laboratory.

TO LEARN MORE: http://www.yadvashem.org/archive/about