To mark the centenary of WWI, the German government has digitized and made freely available 700,000 documents related to the war on the website of the Federal Archive. The material includes audio recordings, films, and photos in addition to an array of personal and governmental documents. Records of politicians, military and civilian authorities, propaganda films, and even personal letters from the front are all part of the newly accessible treasure trove.
Curators at the Federal Archive said the material will be of particular benefit to genealogists as it includes extensive information about locations where German soldiers served.
German commemorations for the WWI centenary will be subdued. No large public commemorations are planned this year. The German federal government will instead provide financial assistance to international commemorations and subsidize exhibitions like one entitled “1914: 100 Years Afterward” currently on display at the German Historical Institute in Berlin.
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