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Germany signs Arolsen files accord

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5216470.stm

Germany has signed an agreement to open for research purposes vast Nazi archives containing millions of files on Holocaust victims.

So far, only survivors and their relatives have been able to get personal information from the archives.

For many years, Germany had argued that giving wider access would violate its privacy laws.

In May, the 11-nation commission in charge of the Nazi records decided that they would be opened to the public.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony in Berlin on Wednesday.

It has to be ratified by all the 11 members of the commission. This is not expected to happen before the end of the year. […]