Research guide to Holocaust-related holdings at Library and Archives Canada

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Introduction

The Research Guide to Holocaust-related Holdings at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) provides an introduction to our holdings. In keeping with the example set by such institutions as the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, this guide includes holdings related to the Holocaust in its widest definition. It includes records related to a broad range of events and decisions before, during and after the Second World War. The records documented in this guide cover the pre-war refugee crisis; the internment of Jewish refugees in Canada; the immigration of displaced persons; the postwar prosecution of Nazi war criminals and the creative responses that the Holocaust engendered in artists, writers, filmmakers and others; among many other events.

This guide includes archival and published sources. It covers both official records that reflect responses to the Holocaust by the government of the day, as well as accounts of the Holocaust and the complex ways in which it affected society in the postwar decades.

Archival records, by nature, are described and arranged according to who created them, rather than by subject. Because of the amount of records preserved by archival institutions, archival records are also frequently described at a general level, rather than by individual item. For these reasons, research by subject is rarely comprehensive. Researchers should note that resources relevant to the Holocaust, but not mentioned in this guide, may therefore also be part of LAC's holdings. To conduct further research, please consult the LAC website.

Similarly, because of the vast number of publications in LAC's library holdings that pertain to the Holocaust and its global impact, the published references listed here are also only a sampling of relevant publications, intended to give the researcher an idea of the types of less commonly found publications available, or those with a Canadian angle such as memoirs of Canadian Holocaust survivors. The bibliography focuses on the documentary resources of the Jacob M. Lowy Collection, a renowned collection of Hebraica and Judaica comprising over 3,000 volumes from the 15th to the 20th century. Among the works cited in this guide are rare and special editions either published during the Second World War or in its immediate aftermath.

LAC's Mandate

As set out in the Library and Archives of Canada Act, LAC is mandated to facilitate access to Canada's documentary heritage, and to make that heritage known to Canadians and to anyone with an interest in Canada. LAC's Access Policy Framework (2011) aims to make all of the institution's documentary heritage holdings discoverable, available, and accessible to the greatest extent possible.

This research guide supports LAC's access objectives by providing an overview of documentary heritage holdings related to the Holocaust. As a Government of Canada institution however, LAC works within existing federal legislation, regulations, and policies (e.g. Library and Archives of Canada Act, Copyright Act, Access to Information Act, Privacy Act, etc.). For this reason, access to holdings in this guide may require special permissions or be subject to an access review under applicable legislation.

Conducting research at LAC

How to use this guide

This guide provides references to resources held at LAC. Most references are linked to LAC's catalogues, where further information about the resource will be found. In most cases, you will not be able to access the actual resource without requesting a copy or by visiting in person.

This guide should be considered as a starting point for research into Holocaust-related resources at LAC, and researchers should note that many more resources do exist in LAC's holdings. These can be consulted through an in-person visit or by hiring a freelance researcher to conduct research on your behalf.

How to use LAC's online search tools

Further resources may be identified by researchers through an extensive search using our online tools.

The principal database for searching for archival references is available at Collection Search.

The more precise a search is, the better the search results will be. For instance, if you are interested in the case of a Jewish refugee who was in an internment camp in Canada, you may not find his/her name in our search tools. However, if you know where and when he/she was interned (e.g. at Île-aux-Noix in 1940–1941), a search of the place name during that time may give you a starting point for locating relevant records.

Researchers should note that archival records are usually described in a hierarchical manner, beginning with general descriptions of large groups of records, such as fonds or collections. Fonds and collections are often divided into smaller groups of records, such as series, that provide additional contextual information. If lists of files or items (the lowest levels of description, also referred to as finding aids) exist in digital form, they will be linked to higher levels of description in LAC's database.

To search LAC's published collection, beyond the references listed in this guide, it would be best to use Aurora, Library and Archives Canada’s catalogue of books, periodicals, music, videos and other published materials.

To search Aurora for items related to the Holocaust, use the Advanced Search screen.

Change the first “Search Index” drop-down from “Keyword” to “Subject.” In the empty field beside it, enter your subject headings. Headings that could be useful:

  • Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
  • Holocaust, Jewish (1939–1945) Personal narratives
  • Holocaust survivors
  • Holocaust survivors Biography

You can also add geographic terms like a country, city, or region:

  • Holocaust, Jewish (1939–1945) Personal narratives Hungary
  • Holocaust survivors Biography Ontario

If you see an interesting item in the results list, you can click on the hyperlinked title for more information.

Details in the description, such as the author or complete list of subjects, can be helpful in expanding your search for other publications.

Language of material

Most of the archival resources mentioned in this guide are in English, although some files may contain documents in other languages. A few of the audiovisual resources are in French. The published references include many Yiddish and Hebrew sources, in addition to English and some French and Polish ones. For the citations of published references in Yiddish or Hebrew in this guide, as well as in the bibliographic records in Aurora, the LC-ALA Romanization [PDF 128 KB] table is used. For this guide, some of the diacritics have been omitted. Publications in English and French from the 1970s onward tend to be listed by author and title, whereas older books, especially those in Yiddish and Hebrew, tend to have more complete bibliographic citations. The imprint and publication date are of significance because a more complete reference will help the reader quickly identify the work. In all cases, a link to the relevant Aurora record is provided.

Access Conditions

Researchers should note that many archival resources are subject to some form of restriction on access and use. LAC works within federal legislation, regulations, and policies, including the Library and Archives of Canada Act, Copyright Act, Access to Information Act, and Privacy Act. Access to holdings in this guide may require special permissions or be subject to an access review under applicable legislation.

Government of Canada records

Access to all records created or maintained by the Government of Canada is governed by the specific regulations and exemptions found in the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. If a record is opened, it is marked code 90: Open in the online entries. If a record remains closed, it is marked code 32: Restricted by law. Records that have not previously been requested and therefore have not yet been reviewed remain closed and marked code 32. Those that are currently closed under the two Acts, with the marking code 32, can still be requested and reviewed for disclosure. For further information on reviewing closed records, please consult LAC's website.

Private records

Records donated by private individuals or organizations may also carry restrictions on access and use. Codes for private records include code 90: Open; code 18: Restricted by creator/donor; or code 10: Closed. A group of records may also be marked code 96: Restrictions vary, when a combination of the first three codes is applicable. When records are restricted or closed, there will be further details on the nature of the access conditions at the fonds- or collection-level description of the records. It may be possible to consult restricted records, either through signing a restricted access form or obtaining permission from the donors. For records that are closed, the fonds- or collection-level description will include information on when the records are expected to be open.

Nazi Persecution of the Jews Before the Second World War

Government and Prime Ministerial Records

Government files and records produced prior to the Second World War, reflect the experience of Jewish immigrants trying to enter Canada at the time. The government bodies referenced here include the Department of External Affairs (RG25), the Immigration Branch (RG76) and the Office of the Governor-General (RG7).

Table 1: List of Government Records
Description File Number and Link Status
Refugees from Austria and Germany United States Proposals – Conference, Evian, 1938. RG25, vol. 1870, file 1938-327, part 1;
RG25, vol. 1871, file 1938-327, part 2-6;
RG25, vol. 1872, file 1938-327A;
RG25, vol. 1872, file 1938-327, part 7 		Open
Jewish Colonization Association, Montreal, 1920-1951. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 82, file 8520, part 1, microfilm C-4749;
RG76-I-A-1, vol. 82, file 8520, part 2, microfilm C-4749;
RG76-I-A-1, vol. 83, file 8520, file part 3, microfilm C-4749 		Open
Immigration to Canada of Jews from Europe, 1926-1934. RG76-I-A1, vol. 391, file 541782, part 3, microfilm C-10284 Open
Immigration to Canada of Jews from Europe (publications), 1934-1937. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 391, file 541782, part 4, microfilm C-10284 Open
United States proposal regarding refugees from Germany and Austria (Report of Conference on Refugees) 1938. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 432, file no. 644452, part 1-2, microfilm C-10312 Open
United States proposal regarding refugees from Germany and Austria (Report of Conference on Refugees) 1938. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 432, file no. 644452, part 3, microfilm C-10312; C-10313 Open
Department of External Affairs - Confidential telegrams to Prime Minister at Washington, D.C., United States, on immigration matters (German Jews on SS ST. LOUIS), 1939, 1941, 1965. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 440, file 670224, microfilm C-10318 Open
National Committee on Refugees and Victims of Political Persecution (reports), 1938-1940. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 438, file 661315, microfilm C-10316 Open
Assistance to Refugees from Germany, 1938-1941. RG25-A-2, vol. 779, file 382, microfilm T-1794 Open
Immigration - Deportation - Departure from Canada – Jewish Refugees and Others, 1936-1945. RG7-G-26, vol. 90, file 2085-A, part 1 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

William Lyon Mackenzie King Papers

Private records

Within Canada, organizations such as the Jewish Labour Committee of Canada and the Canadian National Committee on Refugees made significant efforts to bring Jewish refugees into the country. Individuals who left Germany in the late 1930s and were ultimately successful in making Canada their home, such as Rabbis Emil L. Fackenheim and W. Gunther Plaut, contributed immensely to Canadian society in the second half of the 20th century.

Table 2: List of Private Records
Description File Number and Link Status
Jewish Labour Committee of Canada fonds. MG28-V75/R3286 Open
Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada Collection: Records of the Jewish Immigration Aid Services - Western Division. MG28 V114/R4547, microfilms M-4581-4599 Open
Alphabetical Files - Canadian National Committee on Refugees and Victims of Political Persecution - Pamphlets on refugees and address on Jewish refugees, 1938-1939. MG30-D115/R1887, vol. 17, file 8 Open
W. Gunther Plaut fonds
Emigration from Germany and settlement in U.S.A. 		MG31-F6/R5917, vols. 1-3, 410 Restricted by creator/donor
Emil L. Fackenheim fonds
Personal records and correspondence. 		MG31-D74/R4535 Restricted by creator/donor

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published references

The Holocaust, 1939–1945

Jewish Refugees in Canadian Internment Camps

Some Austrian and German Jews successfully fled Nazi persecution to Britain. In 1940, the British government asked Canada to house these refugees. Because of their nationality, they were classed as "enemy aliens." The Jewish refugees were interned in Canada's enemy alien camps. Between 1940 and 1943, more than 2,000 Jewish refugees were interned in Canada. These camps, run by the Department of National Defence, included those at Fredericton, New Brunswick; Farnham, Quebec; Île-aux-Noix, Quebec; Sherbrooke, Quebec; Trois-Rivières, Quebec; Cove Fields, Quebec; St. Helen's Island, Quebec; and Red Rock, Ontario. The records of these camps are found in the Department of National Defence fonds (RG24).

Some references to these camps have been included below. For more extensive references on files related to these camps in LAC's holdings, researchers may wish to consult LAC's guide on Second World War internment [PDF 8.14 MB].

Government and prime ministerial records

Table 3: List of government and prime ministerial records
Description File Number and Link Status
Treatment of civilian internees sent to Canada from U.K. on the S.S. "ETTRICK" in July 1940. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 2767, file 621-AU-40, part 1 Open
Segregation of Jews and other refugees and German civilians loyal to their country in Canadian refugee camps - Inquiry re., 1942-1945. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 2768, file 621-BM-40, part 1 Open
Directorate of Internment Operations, file relating to Camp N at Newington, Quebec. RG24-C-5, vol. 11253 Open
No. 40 Internment Camp, Farnham, 1940-1942. RG24-C-3, vol. 15397, file 2282 Open
No. 40 Internment Camp, Farnham, 1942-1946. RG24-C-3, vol. 15398, file 2282 Open
No. 41 Internment Camp, Île-aux-Noix, 1940-1943. RG24-C-3, vol. 15399, file 2283 Open
No. 42 Internment Camp, Sherbrooke, 1940-1941. RG24-C-3, vol. 15399, file 2284 Open
No. 42 Internment Camp, Sherbrooke, 1941-1944. RG24-C-3, vol. 15400, file 2284 Open
No. 42 Internment Camp, Sherbrooke, 1944-1946. RG24-C-3, vol. 15401, file 2284 Open
No. 70 Internment Camp, Fredericton, 1940-1942. RG24-C-3, vol. 15404, file 2287 Open
No. 70 Internment Camp, Fredericton, 1942-1945. RG24-C-3, vol. 15405, file 2287 Open
Transfer of internees from United Kingdom to Canada - German prisoners of War in Canada, 1940-1942. RG25-A-2, vol. 824, file 713, microfilm T-2207 Open
Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees - Admission to Canada - General file, 1943-1945. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3195, file 5127-40C, part 1=1943/01/15-1944/01/29; 2=1944/02/14-1944/06/30; 3=1944/07/04-1945/04/10 Restricted by law
William Lyon Mackenzie King fonds Correspondence with T.A. Crerar and N.A. Robertson regarding internees and refugees, including Arturo Vivante, May 1941. MG26 J1, vol. 303, pages 256355 to 256360, microfilm C-4861 Open
Correspondence with Ruth Draper regarding the case of interned Italian immigrant Arturo Vivante, 1941. MG26 J1, vol. 303, pages 256870 to 256879, microfilm C-4862 Open
World War II- Internees, 1940-1942. MG26 J4, vol. 359, page C248508, microfilm H-1535 Open
Entry from William Lyon Mackenzie King's personal diary, November 7,1940. MG26-J13, page 1; page 2, page 3 Open
Interned Civilian Refugees and Jewish Refugees (Nominal Roll from United Kingdom), 1942-1946. RG18-F-3, vol. 3566, file C11-19-4-1, supp. B Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

File number "7236" in the subject files sub-series of the Department of National Defence Headquarters Central Registry contains the files related to the treatment of enemy aliens.

The following is a sampling of those files as they relate to some of the camps holding Jewish refugees:

Table 4: Camps holding Jewish refugees
Description File Number and Link Status
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Returns, Intelligence Officer 2 - Ile-aux-Noix, 1940. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-6-41, microfilm C-5369 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Returns, Intelligence Officer 3 - Returns of transfers - Sherbrooke, 1940-1946. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-7-42, microfilm C-5371 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Returns, Intelligence Officer 3 - Returns of transfers - Fredericton, 1940-1945. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-7-70, microfilm C-5371 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Returns, Intelligence Officer 4 - Returns of admission and discharges - Outside hospitals - Ile-aux-Noix, 1940-1943. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-8-41, microfilm C-5371 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Returns, Intelligence Officer 4 - Returns of admissions and discharges - Outside hospitals - Sherbrooke, 1940-1946. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-8-42, microfilm C-5371 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Returns, Intelligence Officer 4 - Returns of admissions and discharges - Outside hospitals - Fredericton, 1940-1945. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-8-70, microfilm C-5372 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Intelligence Officer 7 - Weekly reports of admissions and discharges, camp hospitals - Ile-aux-Noix, 1940-1943. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-9-41, microfilm C-5372 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Intelligence Officer 7 - Weekly reports of admissions and discharges, camp hospitals - Sherbrooke, 1940-1945. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-9-42, microfilm C-5372 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Intelligence Officer 7 - Weekly reports of admissions and discharges, camp hospitals - Fredericton, 1940-1945. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-9-70, microfilm C-5372 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Monthly report of employment of Prisoners of War for which they receive pay - Fredericton, 1940-1945. RG24-C-1, file 7236-34-1-70, microfilm C-5379 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Accommodation - Exhibition grounds, Three Rivers, 1940. RG24-C-1, file 7236-8, microfilm C-5376 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Accommodation, Cove Fields, 1940-1942. RG24-C-1, file 7236-9, microfilm C-5377 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Internment camp B, Little River Camp, Colters Siding and Camp 70, Fredericton, 1940-1945. RG24-C-1, file 7236-11, microfilm C-5377 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Red Rock internment camp, 1940-1943. RG24-C-1, file 7236-12, microfilm C-5377 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Ile-aux-Noix, 1940-1944. RG24-C-1, file 7236-18, microfilm C-5377 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Ile-aux-Noix, 1940-1944. RG24-C-1, file 7236-18, microfilm C-5378 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Camp N, Newington, Quebec (Sherbrooke), 1940-1947. RG24-C-1, file 7236-32, microfilm C-5379 Open
Treatments of Enemy Aliens - Monthly reports of employments of Prisoners of War for which they receive pay - Ile-aux-Noix, 1940-1943. RG24-C-1, file 7236-34-1-41, microfilm C-5379 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Returns to Britain and releases, 1940-1948. RG24-C-1, file 7236-47, microfilm C-5392 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - International Officer 32 - Parcels and letters received in internment camps in Canada - Reports to External Affairs, International Red Cross and Swiss Consul - Fredericton, 1941-1945. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-11-70, microfilm C-5376 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Intelligence Officer 32 - Parcels and letters received in internment camps in Canada - Reports to External Affairs, International Red Cross and Swiss Consul - Sherbrooke, 1942-1946. RG24-C-1, file 7236-1-11-42, microfilm C-5376 Open
Treatments of Enemy Aliens - Monthly reports of employments of Prisoners of War for which they receive pay - Sherbrooke, 1941-1948. RG24-C-1, file 7236-34-1-42, microfilm C-5379 Open
Treatment of Enemy Aliens - Releases in Canada, 1943-1948. RG24-C-1, file 7236-47-3, microfilm C-5392 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Personal accounts of Jewish internees in Canada

Table 5: List of personal accounts of Jewish internees in Canada
Description File Number and Link Status
Eric Koch fonds. MG30-C192/R2408, vols. 1-4 Open
Heinz Warschauer fonds. MG31-D129/R4561, vol. 1 Open
Bernhard Pfundt fonds. MG31-H174/R12048, vol. 1 Open
Gerald Frey fonds. MG30-C252/R10003, vol. 1 Open
Erik Exton fonds. MG31 H116/R4250, vols. 1, 5 Open
William Walsh fonds. MG31-B27/R4771 Restrictions vary
Max Gamper collection
Internment Camp "B" Canada, Little River Camp, New Brunswick. 		R14195, accession 1983-099, box A086-02, C-105622 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published references

Personal Experiences of the Holocaust

Table 6: List of Personal Experiences of the Holocaust
Description File Number and Link Status
Anna Heilman fonds. R11520, vols. 1-3
Additional resources: Anna Heilman 		Open
John Hirsch fonds.
 MG31, D81/R5005, vol. 64, file 4 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

A Sampling of Published Personal Memoirs, Early Historical Accounts and Evidence, and Early Artistic Responses

  • Auerbach, Rachel, Centralna Żydowska Komisja Historyczna w Polsce, and Centralna Żydowska Komisja Historyczna w Polsce. 1947. Oyf Di Felder Fun Ṭreblinḳe: Reporṭazsh. Oysgabe Fun Der Tsenṭralér Yidisher Hisṭorisher Ḳomisye Baym Ts. Ḳ Fun Poylishe Yidn, Num. 33. Ṿarshe: Oysgabe fun der Tsenṭraler Yidisher hisṭorisher ḳomisye baym Ts. Ḳ. fun Poylishe Yidn.
    • Brief description: Early report on Treblinka and the memoirs of a survivor of that camp.
  • Borwicz, Michał, Lejb Zylberberg, and Centralna Żydowska Komisja Historyczna w Polsce. 1947. א ייד פון קלעמענטאוו דערציילט. A Yid fun Klementov dertseylt. Oysgabes Fun Der Tsenṭraler Yidisher Hisṭorisher Ḳomisye, 36. Ṿarshe: Oysgabes fun der Tsenṭraler Yidisher Hisṭorisher Ḳomisye Baym Ts. Ḳ. Fun Poylishe
    • Brief description: Personal narrative of a survivor from Klimontów, Poland.
  • Kuriski, Leyzer, and Leybl Ran. 1947. Bleter vegn Vilne: zamlbukh. Lodzsh: Farband fun Vilner Yidn in Poyln bay der Tsentraler Yidisher historisher komisie.
    • Brief description: Documentation on Vilna ghetto containing texts, photographs, a fold-out map and model of the Vilna ghetto, and a list of survivors from Vilna living in Poland and elsewhere.
  • Dvorzetsky, Mark Meir. 1948. Yerusholayim De-Lita in Kamf Un Umkum. Paris: Aroysgegebn durkh Yidishn natsionaln arbeter farband in Amerike un Yidishn folksfarband in Frankraych.
    • Brief description: A detailed early eye-witness account of the Vilna Ghetto.
  • Elberg, Simcha. 1946. Akeydes-Treblinke: gedanken un refleksn. Shanghai: [s.n.].
    • Brief description: Essays by Rabbi Elberg lamenting the death of the six million Jews.
  • Fenigstein, H. 1948. Ṿarsheṿer Yid. Shpiṭal: Beṭn Natsi-Rezshim. Munich?: Aroysgegebn durkh Farlag "Ibergang" bay der Federatsie fun Poylishe Yidn in Dayṭshland, Ameriḳaner zone.
    • Brief description: Report on health statistics of Jews in Warsaw from 1939–1943 by a Warsaw Ghetto hospital doctor, who later immigrated to Canada.
  • Fenster, Hersh. 1951. Undzere farpanyikte kinstler. Pariz: H. Fenster.
    • Brief description: Commemoration and biography of Jewish artists from France who were killed during the Nazi regime.
  • Goldkorn, Dorka. 1948. Mayne zikhroyne funm oyfshtand in Varshever Geto. Lodzsh: Kooperativer arbeter-farlag "Prasa".
    • Brief description: Memoir of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
  • Goldstein, Bernard. 1947. Finf yor in Varshever geto. New York: Farlag "Unzer Tsayt".
    • Brief description: Memoir of the Warsaw Ghetto.
  • Graubard, Baruch, Y. D Sheynzon, and Joseph Gar. 1948. Hemshekh : Shrifṭn Far Liṭeraṭur, Ḳunsṭ, Ḳriṭiḳ Un Ḳulṭur-Gezelshafṭlekhe Frages. Minkhen: Direḳṭorium far dertsiung un ḳulṭur: Shrayber-farband fun der sheyres̀-ha-pleyṭeh.
    • Brief description: Early artistic response.
  • Grossman, Vasilii. 1945. Treblinker genem. Moskve: Melukhe-Farlag "Der Emes".
    • Brief description: Reportage about Treblinka, perhaps the earliest after liberation.
  • Hirschprung, Pinḥos. 1944. Fun Natsishen Yomerṭol: Zikhroynes̀ Fun a Poliṭ. Monṭreal: [s.n.].
    • Brief description: Holocaust memoirs of late Chief Rabbi of Montreal.
  • Kaczerginski, Szmerke. 1947. Ḥurbn Vilne. Nyu Yorḳ: Farayniḳtn Ṿilner Hilfs-Ḳomiṭeṭ in Nyu Yorḳ durkh Tsiḳo Bikher-Farlag.
    • Brief description: On the destruction of Jewish community of Vilna.
  • Kaczerginski, Szmerke. 1948. Partizaner Geyen. Bamberg: Unzer Weg.
    • Brief description: On Jewish partisans.
  • Kahanovich, Moshe, and Labor Zionist Committee for Relief and Rehabilitation, Inc. 1948. Der Yidisher Onṭeyl in Der Parṭizaner-Baṿegung Fun Soṿeṭ-Rusland. Roym: Oysg. fun der Tsenṭraler hisṭorisher ḳomishe baym Partizaner farband P.H.H. in Iṭalye.
    • Brief description: Jewish participation in partisan groups during the Second World War, with emphasis on the situation in the Soviet Union.
  • Kaplan, Yisrael. 1949. Dos folks-moyl in Natsi-klem: reydenishn in geto un katset. Minkhen: Aroysgegebn fun der Tsentraler historisher komisie baym Ts”k. fun di bafrayte Yidn in der Amerikaner zone in Daytshland.
    • Brief description: On Yiddish terms and phrases from the Ghetto and the concentration camp.
  • Mark, Bernard. Der oyfshtand fun Varshever geto. Pariz: Aroysgegeben durkh der Organizatsie fun Poylishe Yidn bay dem Poylishn komitet fun natsyonaler bafrayung.
    • Brief description: Early account of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
  • Mazor, Michel. 1955. La Cité Engloutie: (Souvenirs Du Ghetto De Varsovie). Centre De Documentation Juive Contemporain, 23. Paris: Éditions du Centre de documentation juive contemporaine.
    • Brief description: Memoirs of a survivor describing the creation and organization of the Warsaw ghetto, and life and death in the ghetto up to the mass deportations of the Jews in 1942.
  • Noy, Melech. 1945. Di Ḳemfer Fun Ṿarsheṿer Geṭo Dertseyln. Tel-Aviv: Ṿelṭ-iḥed Poyle-tsiyen (Ts. S.)-His̀aḥdes̀.
    • Brief description: Personal narratives and reports of fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto.
  • Noy, Melech. 1948. Hurben un oyfshtand fun di Idn in Varshe: eydes-bleter un azkores. Tel Aviv: Ṿaʻadat ha-golah fun der Algemeyner Idisher arbeṭer-organizatsye (ha-Histadrut ha-kelalit) in Erets-Yiśroel un Idish-Natsyonaler arbeṭer-farband in Ameriḳe.
    • Brief description: "Jews in Warsaw: a collection of reports and biographical sketches of the fallen" (t.p. verso).
  • Ringelblum, Emmanuel. 1952. Notitsn fun Varshever geto. Warszawa: Idisz Buch.
    • Brief description: Publication of notes that had been recorded by Polish-Jewish historian during the Warsaw Ghetto.
  • Ryczywól, Ber. 1946. Ṿiazoy Ikh Hob Ibergelebṭ Di Dayṭshn. Oysgabes Fun Der Tsenṭraler Yidisher Hisṭorisher Ḳomisye Baym Ts. Ḳ. Fun Poylishe Yidn, Num. 30. Ṿarshe: Tsenṭraler Yidisher hisṭorisher ḳomisie.
    • Brief description: Memoirs of a Polish Jew.
  • Sommer, Ernst. 1945. Der ofsh.tand fun di farur.teyl.te: dartseylung. Moskve: Melukhe Ferlag "Der Emes".
    • Brief description: Yiddish translation of Revolte der Heilingen, written in 1943 by Czech Jew, possibly the earliest literary text to deal in detail with the Holocaust, in particular the topic of Jewish resistance.
  • Szajewicz, Simhah Bunam. 1946. Lekh-lekha. Lodzsh: Tsentraler Yidisher historisher komisie baym Tsentral-komitet fun Poylishe Yidn.
    • Brief description: Letters and poetry from the Lodz Ghetto.
  • Theresienstadt currency. 1943. Theresienstadt: Theresienstadt Concentration Camp.
    • Brief description: Artifact.
  • Tsenṭral ḳomiṭeṭ fun di bafrayṭe Yidn in der Ameriḳaner zone. 1946. Fun Letsṭn Ḥurbn. Minkhen: Tsenṭraler hisṭorishe ḳomisie baym Tsenṭral ḳomiṭeṭ fun di bafrayṭe Yidn in der Ameriḳaner zone.
    • Brief description: Early historical and literary serial on the Holocaust.
  • Varshever geto oyfshtand: 19ter April 1943–19ter April 1947. 1947? Landsberg: Aroysgegebn fun Ts. .K. "Poaley-tsiyen" (Ts. S.) un merkaz "Dror" in Daytshland.
    • Brief description: On the Warsaw Ghetto uprising by two of the Zionist youth groups who had fought in it.
  • Weissbrod, Abraham. 1948. Es shtarbt a shtetl: megiles Skalat. Minkhen: Aroysgegebn fun der Tsentraler historisher komisie baym Tsentral komitet fun di bafrayte Yidn in der Amerikaner Zone in Daytshland.
    • Brief description: History and demise of the Ukrainian town, Skalat.

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

European Jewish Publications during the Holocaust: Books from Romania and Hungary prior to the Nazi occupation

Books primarily on Jewish law, printed from 1939–1943, were among the last published before the destruction of the communities in these countries. Since Responsa and other works of Jewish law reflect current day concerns, they are potential sources for insight.

Books from Shanghai, destination of refugees

Many German Jews fleeing Nazism in the 1930s found refuge in Shanghai, China, where there was an already existing Jewish community. During the Second World War, Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese diplomat in Kaunas, Lithuania, issued thousands of transit visas for Jews escaping Europe, including those of the Mir Yeshivah, many of whom also found a relatively safe haven in Shanghai. The refugees numbered around 20, 000 and had been interned by the Japanese in the Hongkew section of the city. Publication of Jewish books and serial publications in various languages continued nonetheless, and reflected the broad range of interests and ideology. With the exception of one published reference to a Shanghai imprint in the Liberation section of this guide and another in the Visual: early Holocaust photo documentation section, the scope of this list extends to postwar in order to keep the Shanghai section an integrated whole.

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published musical and theatrical responses

Continued Jewish immigration to Canada

During the War some Jews found refuge and escape from Nazi-occupied Europe. Although immigration to Canada was still limited, some Jewish refugees did gain entry.

Government and prime ministerial records

Table 7: List of government and prime ministerial records
Description File Number and Link Status
Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees, 1943-1948. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 1;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 2;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 3;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 4;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 5;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 6;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 7;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 8;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, parts 9 		Open
Refugees – Admission to Canada of Jewish Children from France, 1942-1944. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2113, file AR 408/2 Open
Department of Mines and Resources – Co-Operation of United Kingdom and Allies – Refugees and Evacuation of Children – Immigration, 1940-1945. RG2-B-2, vol. 46, file D-17-1 Open
Entry into Canada of Jewish children from France, 1942-1943. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3107, file 4300-40C. Open
Refugee immigration to Canada (I.R.O.)
(lists), 1940-1941. 		RG76-I-A-1, vol. 441, file 673931, part 2, microfilm C-10319 Open
Refugee immigration to Canada (I.R.O.), 1943. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 441, file 673931, part 4, microfilm C-10319 Open
Refugee immigration to Canada (I.R.O.) (lists), 1943-1944. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 442, file 673931, parts 6-8, microfilm C-10319 Open
Admission of Jewish children from unoccupied France, 1942-1948. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 477, file 739325, part 1, microfilm C-10412;
RG76-I-A-1, vol. 477, file 739325, part 1, microfilm C-10413;
RG76-I-A-1, vol. 477, file 739325, part 2, microfilm C-10413 		Open
Immigration - Deportation – Departure from Canada – Jewish Refugees and Others, 1947-1964. RG7-G-26, vol. 90, file 2085-A, parts 1-3 Open
Resolutions and protests by various persons re: treatment of Jews by Germany - Resolution re: admission of refugees to Canada [pocket]. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3121, file 4626-40 Restricted by law
Movement of Jewish refugees from Denmark to Sweden, 1943-1944. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3246, file 5879-40, part 1 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Entries from William Lyon Mackenzie King's personal diary, MG26-J13

Private records

Table 8: List of private records, notably from the Robert James Manion fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Immigration - Canadian National Committee on Refugees, 1938-1940. MG27 III B7/R4383, vol. 48, file 11 Open
Refugees - Jewish, 1938-1939. MG27 III B7/R4383, vol. 67, file 1 Open
Refugees - Jewish, 1939. MG27 III B7/R4383, vol. 67, file 2 Open
Archie B. Bennett fonds. MG30-D223/R10023, vol. 1 Open
Canadian National Committee on Refugees collection, 1934-1948. MG28 V43/R3386, vols. 1-9 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 9: Samuel Zacks fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
World War II refugee work, 1939-1970. MG30 C144/R2602, vols. 19-20 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Canadian concerns about the treatment of Jews in occupied countries

Table 10: List of private records detailing Canadian concerns about the treatment of Jews in occupied countries
Description File Number and Link Status
U.N. declaration re: treatment of Jews by Germany, 1942-1946. RG25-A-3-b, vol.3122, file 4637-40, part 1 Restricted by law

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

William Lyon Mackenzie King correspondence

Table 11: Documents concerning the Vichy government's deportation of Jews
Description File Number and Link Status
Correspondence with Etienne Mantoux, January 16, 1942 - September 14, 1942. MG26-J1, vol. 329, pages 280559 to 280563, microfilm C-6809 Open
Correspondence with Clement Attlee, September 15, 1942. MG26-J1, vol. 334, page 286203, microfilm C-6813 Open
Correspondence with Leighton McCarthy, September 28, 1942. MG26-J1, vol. 327, page 278882, microfilm C-6808 Open
Correspondence with Peter Bercovitch, September 25, 1942 - October 06, 1942. MG26-J1, vol. 321, pages 272460 to 272464, microfilm C-6804 Open
Correspondence with Clement Attlee, December 22, 1942. MG26-J1, vol. 334, pages 287064 to 287065, microfilm C-6813 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 12: Correspondence concerning government policies around Jewish immigration
Description File Number and Link Status
Correspondence on Jewish immigration, May 28-29, 1940. MG26-J1, vol. 283, pages 239627 to 239628, microfilm C-4566 Open
Correspondence with F.C. Blair regarding refugee children, June 27, 1940. MG26-J1, vol. 283, page 239629, microfilm C-4566 Open
Correspondence with Grote Stirling, N.A. Robertson, Dept. External Affairs, June 21-23, 1943. MG26-J1, vol. 352, pages 305891 to 305895, microfilm C-7046 Open
On Jewish immigration, May 28-29, 1940. MG26-J1, vol. 283, pages 239627 to 239628, microfilm C-4566 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Postwar

Liberation

Canadian troops contributed to the liberation of Belgium and the Netherlands, countries that did not contain concentration camps, but that did contain transit camps where Jews were held before being sent to death camps in the East. The Second Canadian Infantry Division liberated Westerbork, a transit camp in the northeast Netherlands, which was holding about 1,000 Jewish men and women.

Government records

Table 13: List of government records about the liberation
Description File Number and Link Status
War Diary entry, 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment, 14th Hussars, the Netherlands, April 12, 1945. RG24-C-3, vol. 14226, file 581, microfilm T-12689 - T-12690 Open
War diary entry, South Saskatchewan Regiment, the Netherlands, April 12, 1945. RG24-C-3, vol. 15264, file 191 Open
War Diary entry, Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, the Netherlands, April 12, 1945. RG24-C-3, vol. 15217, file 182 Open
Reports re: Bucherwald [Buchenwald], Cewiecim [Oswiecim], Bergen-Belsen concentration camps in Germany. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 4171, file 1426-P-40, part 1 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Private records

Table 14: List of private records about the liberation from the Peter Stursberg fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Despatches - Daily Herald & CBC (1 of 3), April 23, 1945. MG31 D78/R5637, vol. 20, file 12 Open
Despatches - Daily Herald & CBC (2 of 3). MG31 D78/R5637, vol. 20, file 13 Open
Despatches - Daily Herald & CBC (3 of 3). MG31 D78/R5637, vol. 20, file 14 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 15: List of private records about the liberation, notably from the Aba Bayefsky fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Transcripts of the C.M. Donald interviews with Aba Bayefsky in 1995-1996, including mention of his experience in the displaced persons camps. R3940, vol. 20, files 30-32 Open
Clippings from Jewish Life and Canadian Jewish Weekly where Bayefsky describes his experience in Bergen-Belsen. R3940, vol. 21, file 7. Open
Alex Colville fonds. MG30-D292/R2111, vol. 1; 1984-014 BK-023 Open
Belsen Concentration Camp
Tobie Steinhouse fonds, Personal material and memorabilia series. 		R11208, vol. 1, file 7 Open
Diary of Ethel Ostry. MG30-C184/R1756, vol. 1 Open
Herbert Steinhouse fonds. R8082, vols. 1-19 [PDF 63.73 KB] Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 16: List of private records about the liberation from the Mary Agnes Craig McGeachy and Erwin Schuller fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration series, 1943-1946. R9369, vols. 2-3 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Audiovisual accounts

Table 17: List of audiovisual accounts about the liberation
Description File Number Status
Calder, Al – Interview, 1986-09-23. Acc. 1988-0514, ISN 110638
Consultation copy: A1 9909-0027 		Open
[Guernesey, camp de concentration], 1945-05-30. Acc. 1968-0033, ISN 155495
No existing consultation copy 		Open
[Concentration Camp Near Zutphen Captured by a Canadian Regiment], 1945-04-07. Acc. 1989-0453, ISN 140272;
Acc. 1967-0032, ISN 143441
No existing consultation copy 		Open
[German Concentration Camps], 1944-09-30. Acc. 1967-0032, ISN 142942
Consultation copy: A1 2023-09-0002 		Open
[German Concentration Camps], 1944-09-30. Acc. 1989-0453, ISN 139938
Consultation copy: A1 2003-11-0059 		Open
Halton, Matthew –Report, 1945-04-08. Acc. 1978-0014, ISN 251803
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Halton, Matthew – Report. [World War II, Germany, and German responsibility for Dachau], 1945-05-04. Acc. 1978-0014, ISN 250233
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Herbert, Bill – Report. [Story of the Royal Canadian Air Force Officer Boss Walter, who helped a mother and her son to meet again in a concentration camp], 1945-06-06. Acc. 1978-0014, ISN 250347
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Lafleur, Benoit – Reportage. [La défaite de l'Allemagne et des impresssions sur les horreurs de Buchewald, Dachau et les camps de concentration], 1945-05-01. Acc. 1978-0014, ISN 250213.
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Lafleur, Benoit – Reportage.
[Camp de concentration d'Alderney], 1945-05-30. 		Acc.1978-0014, ISN 250321
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Ouimet, Marcel – Reportage.
[L'Allemagne et d'un camp de concentration, près de Deventer et Oske], 1945-04-08. 		Acc. 1978-0014, ISN 250087
No existing consultation copy 		Open
[Georges-P. Vanier à Buchenwald].
Déclaration du major-général Georges-P. Vanier, ambassadeur du Canada en France, sur sa visite au camp de concentration de Buchenwald: son témoignage des atrocités, 1945-04-30. 		Acc. 1968-0033, ISN 155480.
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Vanier, Georges P. – Talk. 1945.
Talk by Major-General Georges P. Vanier, Canadian ambassador in France, about World War II and German prison camps at Buchenwald. 		Acc. 1971-0033, ISN 136210
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Vanier, Georges P. – Talk. 1945.
Talk by Major-General Georges P. Vanier, Canadian ambassador in France, about World War II and German prison camps at Buchenwald. Part 2. 		Acc. 1972-0002, ISN 136492
Consultation copy: A1 9809-0020 		Open
[World War II Report and Comment].
Report by Bill Herbert followed by comments by General Georges P. Vanier. 1945-05-01. 		Acc. 1978-0014, ISN 250217
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Victory 1945. Paperny Films, 2004. OCLC Number/Unique Identifier: 85217624 Available

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published references

This section contains works that reflect the continuity of Jewish life following liberation, in addition to other aspects of liberation listed above.

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Arrival in Canada

Working with the International Refugee Organization, Canada accepted large numbers of survivors, whose integration made significant contributions to postwar Canadian society.

Government records

Table 18: List of government records pertaining to the arrival in Canada
Description File Number and Link Status
Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees, 1943-1948. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 1;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 2;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 3;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 4;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 5;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 6;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 7;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 8;
RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2112, file AR 408/1, part 9 		Open
Admission to Canada of certain classes of Emigrants from Western Europe – Intergovernmental, 1946-1951. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2113, file AR 408/4, part 1-4 Open
Refugees – General, 1946-1948. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2113, file 408/5 Open
Revised regulations governing Canadian Immigration Policy, 1947. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2119, file AR 444/1 Open
UN organizations - Committee on Refugees and Displaced Persons established by Economic and Social Council. File block 5475-T-40. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3687, file 5475-T-40;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3687, file 5475-T-40, part 1, 1-FP, 2, 3;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3688, file 5475-T-40, parts 4-9;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 6280, file 5475-T-40, parts 10.1 and 10.2;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 6281, file 5475-T-40, parts 11.1 and 11.2;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 8118, file 5475-T-40, part FP;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 8118, file 5475-T-40, parts 18.1 and 18.2;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 6923, file 5475-T-40, part 19 		Restrictions vary
Department of External Affairs, files on refugees and displaced persons. RG25, vol. 5103, file 5127-40 Restricted by law
International Organization for placement of war orphans – Plans re., 1945-1956. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3805, file 8373-40, part 1 Restricted by law
Liaison Division, Department of National War Services, 1941-1961. RG26-B-1, vols. 10-12 Open
Committee records, Department of Citizenship and Immigration, 1947-1958. RG26-A-2-c, vols. 72-73 Open
United Nations General File [Press releases from United Nations Press Division, United Nations General Assembly releases re: immigration of displaced persons and refugees… related material], 1947-1957. RG26-A-1-a, vol. 81, file 1-24-13, file part 1 Open
Reception and Care of Canadian Deportees from the United States and from Other Countries, 1948-1957. RG26-A-1-c, vol. 121, file 3-29-3 Open
Jewish Immigration [with pamphlet by the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society], 1947-1957. RG26-A-1-c, vol. 123, file 3-32-14 Open
Admission to Canada from Poland [with some lists of Polish immigrants], 1946-1957. RG26-A-1-c, vol. 129, file 3-33-26 Open
Immigration from Austria, 1958-1968. RG26-A-1-c, vol. 124, file 3-33-4, part 2 Open
Displaced Persons - Skilled craftsmen for the Clothing Industry, 1946-1948. RG27-Q-1, vol. 278, file 1-26-5 Restricted by law
Displaced Persons - Skilled craftsmen for the Clothing Industry, 1948-1953. RG27-Q-1, vol. 279, file 1-26-5-1 Restricted by law
Skilled Craftsmen for the Clothing Industry - Fur Workers, 1947-1953. RG27-Q-1, vol. 279, file 1-26-5-2 Restricted by law
Immigration to Canada of Jews from Europe, 1937-1940. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 391, file 541782, part 5, microfilm C-10285 Open
Immigration to Canada of Jews from Europe (Pamphlets), 1940-1949. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 391, file 541782, part 6, microfilm C-10285 Open
Canadian Jewish Congress, 1947-1953. RG76-I-A-1, vol. 660, file B65714, microfilm C-10595 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Private records

Table 19: List of private records pertaining to the arrival in Canada
Description File Number and Link Status
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services fonds. MG28-V38/R3533 Restrictions vary
Canadian Council of Churches – Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada, 1954-1966. MG28-I10, vol. 186, file 17 Open
Jewish Family Services of the Baron de Hirsch Institute fonds. MG28-V86/R3288 Restrictions vary

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published references

Audiovisual Accounts of Holocaust Survivors

Table 20: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Canadian Jewish Congress fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Voices of Survival. 1988 Acc. 1998-0102, ISN 282522
No consultation copy		 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 21: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Emil L. Fackenheim fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Don Harron's Morningside.
Interviews with Emil Fackenheim, Regina Eisenstein, Paul Trepman, 1978. 		Acc. 1978-0188, ISN 435881
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Interview of Emil Fackenheim by Eric Koch, 1978. Acc. 1979-0057, ISN 435453
Consultation copy number: A1 2020-02-0007 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 22: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the CBC
Description File Number and Link Status
Return to Buchach. [Documentary about Mina Fosner] Acc. 1992-0197, ISN 200461
No existing consultation copy 		Open
The Fifth Estate. [Includes interview with Henry Morgentaler] 1977. Acc. 1985-0397, ISN 6450
Consultation copies: V1 8510-0029; V1 9309-0042 		Open
Take 30. [Interview with Henry Morgantaler] 1974. Acc. 1978-0316, ISN 171823
Consultation copy: V1 7905-0021 		Open
Man Alive. [Includes interview of Jack Kuper] 1967. Acc. 1986-0810, ISN 79732
No existing consultation copy 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 23: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Tom Fulton fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Sunday Edition : On the Arts. [Interview with Jack Kuper] 1989. Acc. 2000-0038, ISN 315743
No consultation copy 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 24: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Colin Strayer fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Iskowitz. [Documentary about Gershon Iskowitz] 1982/1987. Acc. 1992-0097, ISN 194563
No existing consultation copy 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 25: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Anna Heilman fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Heilman, Anna – Interview (Unlikely Heroes: [excerpt]), 2002. Acc. 2006-0013, ISN 370725
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Heilman, Anna – Interview. 1994. Acc. 2006-0013, ISN 370729
Consultation copies: V1 2008-10-0025 V1 2008-10-0051 		Open
Heilman, Anna - Interview Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. 1996. Acc. 2006-0013, ISN 370726
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Heilman, Anna – Reminiscence. 1997. Acc. 2006-0013, ISN 370727
Consultation copy: V1 2008-10-0023 		Open
Heilman, Anna – Interview. 1997. Acc. 2006-0013, ISN 370728
Consultation copy: V1 2008-10-0023 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 26: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Henry Morgentaler fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Morgentaler, Henry – Entrevue. 1995. Acc. 2001-0019, ISN 324943
No existing consultation copy 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 27: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Kati Vita fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Morgentaler, Henry – Interview. 1966. Acc. 2002-0094, ISN 337227
Consultation copy: A1 2005-06-0068 		Open
Rosenfarb, Chava – Interview. 1968. Acc. 2002-0094, ISN 337274
Consultation copy: A1 2005-07-0024 		Open
Treblinka Feature. 1965. Acc. 2002-0094, ISN 337343
Consultation copy: A1 2005-09-0016 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 28: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Charles G. Roland fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Pernal, Eugenia – Interview. 1987. Acc. 1989-0379, ISN 136059
No consultation copy 		Restricted by creator/donor
Wygodzka, B.J. – Interview. 1988. Acc. 1990-0135, ISN 154781
No consultation copy 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 29: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the Sol Littman fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Rauchwerger Abraham – Reminiscence. 1987. Acc. 2006-0008, ISN 370609
No consultation copy 		Restricted by creator/donor

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 30: List of audiovisual accounts of Holocaust survivors from the A.M. Klein fonds
Description File Number and Link Status
Martyrs and Heroes. [Speech by A.M. Klein] Acc. 1973-0081, ISN 228615
No consultation copy 		Open
Ethnicity and Sculpture. [Featuring sculptors Gina Tannenbaum and Misha Frid.] 1986. Acc. 1993-0300, ISN 218497
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Voice of the Pioneer. Mandelkern, Ben – Interview. 1988. Acc. 1989-0460, ISN 142813
Consultation copy: A1 9812-0018 		Open
Jaworski, Tadeusz – Reminiscence. 1985. Acc. 2006-0008, ISN 370607
No consultation copy 		Restricted by donor
Life and Times: Encounters with Moses. [Documentary on Moses Znaimer] 2006. Acc. 2008-0044, ISN 427342
No existing consultation copy 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published references

This section contains publications by or about individuals listed in the above section on audiovisual archival material as they pertain to the Holocaust. Where applicable, some published references are listed elsewhere – (e.g. Fackenheim's works are in the Holocaust studies and Jewish response section). A search under the name in Aurora will yield the complete works by the author in LAC's holdings.

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published reminiscences of Holocaust survivors

This section contains some published reminiscences of Holocaust survivors in Canada not mentioned elsewhere in this guide. In the case of a series or a publisher specializing in Holocaust memoirs, a search in Aurora under the series title or name of publisher would yield the complete holdings, whereas only one or two citations from each group are listed below.

  • Azrieli series of Holocaust survivor memoirs. Toronto: Azrieli Foundation
    • The majority of the Azrieli titles are available in English and in French.
  • Dick, Tommy. 2007. Getting Out Alive: A Memoir. Azrieli Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs. Series I. Toronto: Azrieli Foundation.
  • Dick, Tommy. Objectif: Survivre. Traduit par Aurélien Bonin. La Collection Azrieli des Mémoires de Survivants de L'Holocauste. Deuxième Série. Toronto: Fondation Azrieli.
  • Montreal Institute for Genocide Studies, and Concordia University Chair in Canadian Jewish Studies. 1999. Memoirs of Holocaust Survivors in Canada. Montreal: A publication of the Concordia University Chair in Canadian Jewish Studies and the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies.
  • Polish-Jewish Heritage Foundation of Canada in Montreal.
    • Montreal publisher of memoirs published in English, French or Polish. An example of one its publications:

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Holocaust Assets and Restitution

Government records

At the end of the War, by international agreement, assets belonging to individuals persecuted by the Nazis were to be returned to their rightful owners or heirs. It is well documented that the enormity of the Holocaust, followed by the subsequent nationalization of property in Eastern Europe, presented serious obstacles to the fulfillment of this agreement. Nevertheless, many files within the Records of the Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property, now preserved by LAC, document the theft of property by Axis powers and the efforts by owners and heirs to seek compensation.

The challenge for the researcher is that the organization of these files by the Custodian does not differentiate between Canadians and foreign nationals, or those holding Canadian property and those holding property in enemy territories. The claims of many Jewish families are documented in these files, including the Ephrussis, the Rothschilds, and the Bloch-Bauers. Therefore, the researcher needs to identify the name of the property holder and search this fond by that name.

Table 31: List of government records about Holocaust assets and restitution
Description File Number and Link Status
Claims files, War Claims Branch, 1933-1977. RG117-D-2, vols. 285-615 Open
Case files, Headquarters, 1939-1976. RG117-A-3, vols. 616-2830 Restrictions vary
International Claims series relating to the War Claims Commission, the Foreign Claims Commission and the Custodian of Foreign Property, 1916-2001, predominant 1942-1988. R200, vols. 7048-7117 Restrictions vary

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Private records

Table 32: List of private records about Holocaust assets and restitution
Description File Number and Link Status
James Duncan Hyndman fonds, files on War Claims Commission. MG30 E182, vols. 15-16, files 60-72
Online finding aid: James Duncan Hyndman fonds[PDF 84.38 KB] 		Open
Manfred Saalheimer fonds. MG31-H171/R4880, vol. 1 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Looted and heirless books

The Nazi's seizure of Jewish books and religious articles began in the late 1930s in Germany and was extended to the occupied territories. In 1940, Alfred Rosenberg was appointed by Hitler to develop a library to collect "enemy" materials for the planned educational and research institute of the Party, Hohe Schule, to be located in Chiemsee in Bavaria. Seized books designated for collection were often kept in storage in Germany such as at the Archival Depot in Offenbach.

In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, the Offenbach Archival Depot was a central collecting and distributing point of books and other cultural materials in the American Zone of Germany. Jewish Cultural Reconstruction, an umbrella organization that included leading Jewish Studies scholars, identified collections and, where possible, returned them to institutions that continued to exist such as the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana in Amsterdam. The heirless cultural materials, many of which had belonged to individuals, were distributed to institutions and Jewish communities worldwide, including to the Canadian Jewish Congress. The Canadian Jewish Congress, in turn, distributed materials within Canada, such as the Winnipeg Jewish Public Library, and which were later donated to the Lowy Collection.

  • Stamp of Bibliothek Reichsinstitute für Geschichte des neuen Deutschlands, with Reichsadler and Swastika
  • Stamp of Offenbach Archival Depot
    • Hannover, Nathan Nata, Jacob Shatzky, Jacob Zeʼev Wolf Latzki-Bertholdi, and Y. Izraelson. 1938. Gezeres̀ Taḥ. Ṿilne: Biblioṭeḳ fun Yiṿo.
    • Menahem Nahum, Simhah Zimel bar, and Menahem Mannes Romm. 1844. Ḳinot Le-Tishʻah Be-Av Ke-Minhag Polin ʻim Ṭayṭsh Ketav ʻivri Ṿe-Neḳudot. Ṿilna: bi-defus Menaḥem Man b.R. Barukh ṿe-ʹSimḥah Ziml b.R. Menaḥem Naḥum.
  • Stamp of Offenbach Archival Depot and Canadian Jewish Congress Plate

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Canadian Jewish Congress Plates

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Nazi War Criminals in Canada and Abroad

Government and prime ministerial records

Table 33: List of government records about Nazi war criminals in Canada and abroad
Description File Number and Link Status
War Criminals, 1942-1945. RG2-B-2, vol. 12, file W-41 Open
War Criminals, 1942-1948. RG2-B-2, vol. 120, file W-41 Open
Bulgarian and German atrocities in Yugoslav, 1942-1948. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3034, file 4079-40 Open
German atrocities in Czechoslovakia, 1943-1960. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3034, file 4079-B-40 Open
German atrocities in Poland, 1942-1948. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3034, file 4079-E-40 Open
German atrocities in Lithuania, 1944. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3034, file 4079-G-40 Open
War criminal trials – reaction from the public, 1946. RG24 -C-1-a, vol. 2053, file HQS-54-27-1-93 Open
No.1 War Crimes Investigation Unit, 1945-1946. RG24-C-26, vols. 5300-5301 Open
Privileged Documents [… affidavit of W.E. Harris in case of Jacques Duge de Bernonville v. J.M. Langlois; -… other materials], 1942-1951. RG26-A-2-a, vol. 70, file 37 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 34: List of Prosecution, Conference and Regulation Case Files of the Department of Justice
Description File Number Status
Jacques Dugé de Bernonville – Board of Inquiry Under Immigration Act. Proposed deportation to France for alleged collaboration with the Germans during World War II – Conviction in France of treason par contumace. Statutes: Immigration Act RSC 1927, C93, S3(d)&(r); Quebec Habeas Corpus Act RSQ 1941, C340, S3, S4, S6. 1948-1953. RG13, BAN 2000-01038-5, box 20, file HQCRI-1-154708, part 1; RG13, BAN 2000-01038-5, box 20, file HQCRI-1-154708, part 2; RG13, BAN 2000-01038-5, box 21, file HQCRI-1-154708, part POC 1 Restricted by law
Jacques Dugé de Bernonville – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to contest the validity of the Department of Immigration order for his deportation to France. Previous sentence in France for collaboration with the Nazis - War Criminal. 1951-1952. RG13, BAN 2000-01038-5, box 22, file HQCRI-1-160576, part 1 Restricted by law

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 35: Relevant William Lyon Mackenzie King correspondence
Description File Number and Link Status
Bernonville, Count De, 1948. MG26-J4, vol. 236, page C159415, microfilm H-1473 Open
[Correspondence], 1948. Regarding Jacques de Bernonville. MG26-J1/R10383, vol. 443, page 405959, microfilm C-11052 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 36: Relevant Louis St. Laurent correspondence
Description File Number and Link Status
Louis St. Laurent correspondence: Immigration – cases, 1947. MG26-L/R11214, vol. 13, file 70-E Open
Louis St. Laurent correspondence: Department of External Affairs -
General - Mr. St-Laurent's signature - Count Jacques De Bernonville, 1948-1949. 		MG26-L/R11214, vol. 43, file D-12-D Open
Louis St. Laurent correspondence: Department of External Affairs -
Secret - Count Jacques de Bernonville, 1948-1949. 		MG26-L/R11214, vol. 43, file D-12-D Open
Louis St. Laurent correspondence: Nominal: Bernonville, Jacques, 1951 . MG26-L/R11214, vol. 237 Open
Louis St. Laurent correspondence: Immigration – Mr. St-Laurent's signature – French Collaborators, 1949-1951. MG26-L/R11214, vol. 115, file I-20-F Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Table 37: Other relevant government documents
Description File Number and Link Status
United Nations War Crimes Commission, 1944-1947. RG25-E-2-a, vols. 952-954 Open
War Crimes documents, 1945-1946. RG25-E-2-b, vols. 1001, 2607-2709 Open
General intelligence records, 1936-1945. RG25, Acc. 1977-78/087, vols. 1-14 Restrictions vary
United Nations – War Crimes Commission (UNWCC), 1942-1949. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2108, file AR 405/4, part 1 Open
United Nations War Crimes Commission – National Offices Conference, 1945. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2109, file AR 405/4/6 Open
Status of Jacques de Bernonville, 1948-1950. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2122, file AR 1179/1 Restricted by law
Dr. Ferdinand Durcansky - ex-Vice-Chairman of the Slovak-German Society, 1950-1951. RG25-B-1-k, vol. 2123, file AR 1231/1 Restricted by law
War Crimes and Criminals – General, 1946-1950. RG25-B-2, vol. 2143, file 852 Part 1 Open
United Nations - International Court of Justice, 1948. RG25-B-2, vol. 2155, file part 1 Open
War Crimes - Secret Files, 1944. RG25-B-2, vol. 2459, file W60 Open
Establishment of International Court for the trial of war criminals and International Military Tribunal for trial of major war criminals - Proposals, 1946-1952. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 6200, file 4896-40, part 2 Open
War - Proposals for Atrocities Commission, 1941-1945. RG25-A-2, vol. 821, file 696, microfilm T-2204 Open
Suspected war criminals – General, 1962-1963. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 2487, file 102-DLP-40 Restricted by law
Intelligence Investigations – Suspected Collaborators, 1945. RG24-C, vol. 2269, file HQS-11-2, part 1 Restricted by law
Trials of collaborationists in France - Reports re., 1945-1950. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3751, file 7233-40, part 1 Open
Trials in Belgium of collaborators with enemy forces -
Information provided by Canadians for use in trials, 1945-1948. 		RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3809, file 8384-40, part 1 Open
Service in enemy forces-status, assistance immigration of persons who have been in services of enemy govts - Policy & regulations, 1947-1951. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3556, file 939-C-40, part 1 Restricted by law
Service in enemy forces - Status, assistance, immigration, etc., of persons who have been in the services of enemy governments - Policy and regulations file, 1952- RG25, vol. 6341, file 939-C-40, part 2 Restricted by law
U.N. War Crimes Commission – Establishment and activities, 1942-1959. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3032, file 4060-40, part 1;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3033, file 4060-40, parts 2-4;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3640, file 4060-40, parts 5-9;
RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3641, file 4060-40, part 10;
RG25-A-3-b, vol 6196, file 4060-40, part 11 		Open
Establishment of international court for the trial of war criminals and international military tribunal for trial of major war criminals - Proposals, 1943-1946. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3182, file 4896-40, part 1 Open
Establishment of international court for the trial of war criminals and international military tribunal for trial of major war criminals – Proposals [pocket], 1943-1946. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3183, file 4896-40 Restricted by law
Investigation of I.G. Farben, 1945-1962. RG25-A-3-b, vol. 3793, file 8216-40, part 1 Open
Deputy Minister's registry files: immigration (block 3). RG26-A-1-c Restrictions vary
Example of file in Deputy Minister's registry files: immigration (block 3) series:
Enemy Aliens - Admission to Canada of, 1940-1951. 		RG26-A-1-d, vol. 151, file 3-32-11 Open
Censorship rpts - 21 A Gp 16 Apr/31 Jul 45 (3 vols.) 153/Censor Reports/1/3) 1945. RG24-G-3-1-a, vol. 10548, file 215A21.023 (D2) Open
ATROCITIES & WAR CRIMES, Enemy (Nov 45) - Misc infm re: including, Instrs for Firing Squads; Reports of atrocities - "Wanted" persons, etc.; Alleged murder of Brit Paratroops on "D" Day at Herouvillette, Calvados, France, etc. (104/SECURITY/1-2) 1945. RG24-G-3-1-a, vol. 10566, file 215C1. (D13) Open
ENEMY NATIONALISTS (Oct/Nov 45) - Infm re War Crimes, "Wanted" Persons Lists. (104/SECURITY/1-4) 1945. RG24-G-3-1-a, vol. 10566, file 215C1. (D15) Open
PW CAMPS - Lists of Forced Labor, PW and Internment Camps in Germany, Austria & Poland, also Camp strengths and Locations, 1944-45 (59-17-1/Int), 1944-1945. RG24-G-3-1-a, vol. 10717, file 215C1.98 (D408) Open
WAR CRIMINALS - Corresp, msgs, instrs, lists of wanted persons, policy etc war criminals - May/Nov 45 various sources. - (145/War Criminals/1) 1945. RG24-G-3-1-a, vol. 10738, file 219C1.009 (D217) Open
Report of Special Investigations [Reports on investigations into travel bureau and agents dealing with immigration and persons assisting with immigrationl transcripts of interrogations of persons involved in immigration irregularities], 1953-1955. RG26-A-1-a, vol. 85, file 1-37-8, part 1 Open
RCMP Surveillance Intelligence, War Criminal Gestapo, 1974-1979. RG73-A/R1184, vol. 903, file 11-97, part 1 Restricted by law

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Private records

Table 38: List of private records about Nazi war criminals in Canada and abroad
Description File Number and Link Status
Marie-Claire Daveluy fonds
"Rumilly, Robert." 1935-1952 Correspondance related to Jacques de Bernonville. 		R11856/LMS-0009, vol. 6, file 39 Open
Race relations and subject files, 1957-1985. Herbert S. Levy fonds. MG31-H156/R4193, vols. 6-8 Restricted by creator/donor
Sol Littman fonds
Consult the finding aid for more detailed references. 		R2958 Restrictions vary

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals

The Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals, also known as the Deschênes Commission, was an independent commission of inquiry established in 1985 to investigate claims that a considerable number of Nazi war criminals had gained admittance to Canada.

The Commission was headed by the Honourable Jules Deschênes, a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Quebec, and it was given wide powers to conduct its investigation, including the power to travel outside Canada. It was responsible for investigating if war criminals were present in Canada and, if so, the means by which they were able to enter.

In September 1986, the Historian of the Commission, Alti Rodal, submitted her report titled Nazi War Criminals in Canada: The Historical and Policy Setting from the 1940s to the Present. The report, using archival material, presented the context and evolution of government policies related to immigration, refugees and war criminals from the Second World War to the 1980s. In exploring the presence of war criminals in Canada, Ms. Rodal brought to light the conditions and circumstances that surrounded their arrival in the country and examined the cases of several individuals and groups of individuals who were granted entry.

The report Nazi War Criminals in Canada: The Historical and Policy Setting from the 1940s to the Present, also known as the “Rodal Report,” is available for consultation as part of the Department of Justice fonds (R188, vol. 4196). Please note that the report currently available is a severed version. For reasons of privacy, as well as confidentiality and security, the personal information of individuals who are not linked to war crimes, information subject to professional secrecy and information related to the management of classified material from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service have been redacted.

The report of the Commission (in two parts) was submitted to the government at the end of 1986, and the government tabled the public portion of the report [Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals, Report Part 1: Public] on March 12, 1987, together with its response to the recommendations.

Part 1 of the report recommended amendments to the Criminal Code to make prosecution possible in Canada, amendments to the Extradition Act and treaties of extradition to facilitate removal of individuals sought by foreign countries for war crimes, and amendments to laws and procedures governing denaturalization (removal of citizenship) and deportation.

It also included a description of the Commission’s investigative methodology, the limitations it faced, and anonymized case summaries for the vast majority of the individuals investigated.

When originally tabled, Part 2 of the report was, as Commissioner Deschênes described in his letter of transmittal, “destined to remain confidential”. This decision was made given the sensitivity of the information in the second part of the report. Please note that the letter of transmittal is available in Part 1 of the report.

Part 2 of the report contains the Commission’s individual assessments, findings and recommendations with respect to 29 alleged war criminals whom it examined in closed hearings.

The report also includes seven lists. The first four lists contain the following information: dates and locations of in-camera hearings, names of lawyers at in-camera hearings, names of witnesses at in-camera hearings, and submissions presented at in-camera hearings. The last three lists contain the names of individuals who have been investigated for war crimes allegations: a master list of approximately 800 names, an additional list of 38 names, and a list of 71 German scientists and technicians.

Part 1 of the Commission's report is available in Library and Archives Canada’s collection of published material. Direct access to the digitized version is available here.

Part 2 is available in Library and Archives Canada's collection of archival material. Direct access to the digitized report is available here.

Part 2 must be read in conjunction with Part 1.

Government records

Table 39: List of government records about the Deschênes Commission
Description File Number and Link Status
War Crimes Section, Department of Justice fonds, 1939-2010. RG13/R188-119-6-E Restricted by law [Access requires an ATIP request – consult LAC Research Support team]
War Crimes and Special Investigations Unit, 1985-1995. RG18/ R196-192-9-E Restricted by law [Access requires an ATIP request – consult LAC Research Support team]
Block 21 – Military Actions, 1963-1994.
For “Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals”, consult file block 21-10. 		RG25-A-3-c/R219-168-7-E Restrictions vary [Access may require an ATIP request – consult LAC Research Support team]
Nazi War Criminals in Canada: The Historical and Policy Setting from the 1940s to the Present, by Alti Rodal R188, vol 4196 Restricted by law [A severed copy is attached to the catalogue link]
Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals fonds, 1985-1986. RG33-144/R1079 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Private records

Table 40: List of private records about the Commission of Inquiry
Description File Number and Link Status
John Turner fonds
"Deschenes Commission". 		MG26-Q7-2/R1288, vol. 4, file 8 Restricted by creator/donor [Consult LAC Research Support team]
Ukrainian Canadian Student Union fonds
General and miscellaneous, 1955-1996
(Deschenes Commission, 1985-1986) 		MG28 V103/R9107, vol. 52, files 11-12 Open
B'nai Brith Canada fonds
"League Studies" on the Deschenes Commission and War Criminals, 1981-1987. 		MG28 V133/R6348, vols. 107-108 Open
German Canadian Congress fonds
Deschenes Commission and Criminal Code
Amendments - correspondence, 1985-1991. 		MG28-V160/R4459, vol. 39, file 21 Open
David Matas fonds
War crimes series, 1946-1991. 		MG31 E109/ R5043, vol. 54-60 Restricted by creator/donor [Consult LAC Research Support team]
John Sopinka fonds
[86-20-B] Deschênes Inquiry - "Deschênes Commission" Address – Ukranian [sic] Professional & Busines [sic] Club - L'Hôtel - 24 January 1986 - 6:30pm. 		MG31-E120/R1312, vol. 23, file 2 Open
W. Gunther Plaut fonds
CJC - Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals - Correspondence – Reports, 1985-1986. 		MG31-F6/R5917, vol. 219, file 18 Restricted by creator/donor [Consult LAC Research Support team]
File Deschênes Commission - Correspondence – Information, 1986-1987. MG31-F6/R5917, vol. 224, file 7 Restricted by creator/donor [Consult LAC Research Support team]
Deschênes Commission Report, 1987.

This file does not contain a copy of the Deschênes Commission Report, but rather a critical analysis of the report by the Simon Weisenthal Center. It also includes a document authored by Sol Littman titled "Anti-semitism in Canada; A new perspective". 		MG31-F6/R5917, vol. 224, file 8 Restricted by creator/donor [Consult LAC Research Support team]
Donald Mazankowski fonds
"Priorities and Planning Committee and Planning Sub-Committee," 1987-1988. 		MG32-B57, vol. 268, file 3;
MG32-B57, vol. 268, file 4;
MG32-B47, vol. 268, file 5;
MG32-B57, vol. 268, file 6;
MG32-B57, vol. 268, file 7 		Restricted by creator/donor [Consult LAC Research Support team]
Michael Wilson fonds
Deschenes Commission, 1985-1987. 		R1360, vol. 159, file 9 Open
Canadian Civil Liberties Association fonds, Criminal Law – General – Deschenes Commission re War Criminals. R9833, vol. 63 file 4 Restricted by creator/donor [Consult LAC Research Support team]
Paul Yuzyk fonds, Files received in 1986 from Senate. MG32-C67/R6782, vols. 63-68 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published references

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Holocaust Denial

Government records

Table 41: List of government records about Holocaust denial: Supreme Court of Canada
Description File Number Status
Ernst Zundel v. Her Majesty the Queen RG125/R927, vol. 7755, file 31775 Closed
Ernst Zundel v. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, et al. RG125/R927, vol. 7268, file 30720 Open
Ernst Zundel v. Her Majesty the Queen RG125/R927, vol. 7131, file 30427 Open
Ernst Zundel v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, et al. RG125/R927, vol. 7092, file 30360 Open
Ernst Zundel v. Sabina Citron, et al. RG125/R927, vols. 6150-6151, file 28009 Open
Ernst Zundel v. Sabina Citron, et al. RG125/R927, vol. 6150, file 28008 Open
Ernst Zundel v. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, et al. RG125/R927, vol. 6141, file 27977 Open
Ernst Zundel v. Don Boudria, et al. RG125/R927, vol. 6041, file 27655 Open
Ernst Zundel v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration RG125/R927, vol. 5661, file 26417 Open
Ernst Zundel v. Her Majesty the Queen RG125, vol. 3998, file 21811A;
RG125, vol. 3999, file 21811B;
RG125, vol. 4000, file 21811C 		Open
Her Majesty the Queen v. Ernst Zundel RG125, vol. 3635, file 20310 Open
Her Majesty the Queen, et al. v. James Keegstra, et al. RG125, vol. 4975, file 24296 Open
James Keegstra v. Her Majesty the Queen RG125, vol. 4417, file 22455 Open
Her Majesty the Queen v. James Keegstra RG125, vol. 3822, file 21118A;
RG125, vol. 3823, file 21118B 		Open
Ross v. New Brunswick School District No. 15 (aka Attis v. Human Rights Commission of New Brunswick, et al.) RG125, vol. 4873, file 24002 Open
Malcolm Ross v. Minister of Labour, et al. RG125, vol. 3951, file 21638 Open
Citron and Toronto Mayor’s Committee on Community and Race Relations v. Ernst Zundel RG148, R1226, 2017-00382-4, Box 21 and 22, file T460/1596 Restricted by law

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Private records

Table 42: List of private records about Holocaust denial
Description File Number and Link Status
Ernst Zundel v. Her Majesty the Queen, et al. (Crim.) (Ont.) (21811) August 27, 1992 [pt 1].
John Sopinka fonds.		 R1312, vol. 12, file 21 Closed by creator/donor
Ernst Zundel v. Her Majesty the Queen, et al. (Crim.) (Ont.) (21811) August 27, 1992 [pt 2].
John Sopinka fonds.		 R1312, vol. 12, file 22 Closed by creator/donor
Holocaust Denial and Historical Revisionism series.
Sol Littman fonds. 		R2958, vols. 45-50 Restricted by creator/donor
Jewish Civil Rights Educational Foundation series.
Bert Raphael fonds. 		MG31-H189/R4877, vols. 3-5 Open
Race relations and subject files, 1957-1985.
Herbert S. Levy fonds. 		MG31-H156/R4193, vols. 6-8 Restricted by creator/donor
Cas particuliers - Institute for Historical Review, 1983-1984.
André Ouellet fonds. 		R11940-4246-3-F, vol. 312, file 10 Open
Cas particuliers - Samisdat Publishers [Ernest Zundel], 1980-1984.
André Ouellet fonds. 		R11940-4258-X-F, vol. 312, files 22 and 23 Open
Adrien Arcand fonds. MG30-D91/R10911-0-9-E Restrictions vary

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Audiovisual sources

Table 43: List of audiovisual sources about Holocaust denial
Description File Number and Link Status
Charles McLean Show. David Irving and Bernie Farber, 1990. Acc. 2006-0008, ISN 370604
No consultation copy 		Restricted by donor
W5 – Case of Malcolm Ross, 1988. Acc. 1998-0214, ISN 87359
No consultation copy 		Open
Forgetting the Holocaust. Canadian Association of Broadcasters, 1994. Acc. 1996-0463, ISN 265594.
No consultation copy 		Open
Zündel, Ernst - Press Conference, 1998. Acc. 2000-0010, ISN 331575
No consultation copy 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published references

Holocaust Studies and Jewish Response

Private records

Table 44: List of private records – Holocaust studies and Jewish response
Description File Number and Link Status
Emil L. Fackenheim fonds. MG31-D74/R4535 Restrictions vary
B'nai Brith Canada fonds, League studies. MG28-V133/R6348, vols. 107 and 108 Open
W. Gunther Plaut fonds. MG31-F6/R5917 Restrictions vary
Reuben Slonim fonds. MG31-F7/R6284 Restrictions vary
Reuven P. Bulka fonds. MG31-F14/R4259 Restrictions vary
Dow Marmur fonds. MG31-F19/R3641 Restricted by creator/donor

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published references

Search Aurora under Emil Fackenheim for complete listings:

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Responses in Art, Literature, and Music

Performance

Table 45: List of performances as responses in art, literature, and music
Description File Number and Link Status
Gretl K. Fischer fonds. MG31-D99, 1979/0011, vol. 1 Open
Poster for theatre performance of I Never Saw Another Butterfly. MG31-F14/R4259, box 2000949805 Open
Poster for Shoah: a film by Claude Lanzmann. RG149/R854 1989-482-59, box C050/X3 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Audiovisual Sources

Plays, television dramatizations and feature films about the Holocaust

Table 46: List of plays, television dramatizations, and feature films about the Holocaust
Description File Number and Link Status
The Paranormals. Part 2, The Throw of the Dice. CBC Playhouse, 1978. Acc. 1980-0106, ISN 256297
No existing consultation copy 		Open
A Moment in the Light, Midweek Theatre, 1965. Acc. 1985-0268, ISN 2150
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Emotional Arithmetic, 2007. Acc. 2007-0113, ISN 382552
No existing consultation copy 		Open
Fugitive Pieces, 2007. Acc. 2008-0017, ISN 388331
No existing consultation copy 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Documentaries about the Holocaust

Table 47: List of documentaries about the Holocaust
Description File Number and Link Status
Raoul Wallenberg Buried Alive, 1984. Acc. 1989-0438, ISN 138611
Consultation copy: V1 9801-0003 		Open
To Mend the World. Rasky's Gallery: Poets, Painters, Singers and Saints, 1988. Acc. 1988-0372, ISN 101778
No consultation copy 		Open
A Day in the Warsaw Ghetto - A Birthday Trip in Hell, 1991. Acc. 1992-0197, ISN 200462
No consultation copy 		Open
Hate and Heroism: The Holocaust 50 Years Later, 1994. Acc. 1996-0463, ISN 265593
No consultation copy 		Open
Zyklon Portrait, 1999. Acc. 2001-0184, ISN 329906
Consultation copy: V1 2002-01-0019 		Open
The Boys of Buchenwald: From Darkness into Light, 2001. Acc. 2004-0022, ISN 350655
Consultation copy: V1 2004-07-0024 		Open
Le Coeur d'Auschwitz, 2008/2010. Acc. 2011-0020, ISN 431588
No consultation copy 		Open
Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story. Part 1 of 2, 2003. Acc. 2005-0253, ISN 367224
Consultation copy: V1 2005-11-0003 		Open
Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story. Part 2 of 2, 2003. Acc. 2005-0253, ISN 367226
No consultation copy 		Open
Silent Song, 2001. Acc. 2003-0015, ISN 340664
No consultation copy 		Open
The Walnut Tree, 2000. Acc. 2001-0184, ISN 329907
Consultation copy: V1 2002-01-0019 		Open
Inside Hana's Suitcase, 2007. Acc. 2009-0072, ISN 419977
Consultation copy: V1 2009-09-0117 		Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Musical Responses to the Holocaust

Classical music

Table 48: List of classical music responses to the Holocaust
Description File Number and Link Status
Shekhinah.
Manuscript, musical score for solo viola.
Brian Cherney fonds. 		R12812, vol. 41, file 6 Open
From the Diary of Anne Frank for voice (soprano or mezzo) and orchestra.
Published annotated musical score for voice and orchestra, see PDF file, nos 262 and 263.
Oskar Morawetz fonds. 		R4538, MUS 76, vol 12, file 3 Open
From the diary of Anne Frank, Toronto: CBC Records, 2000. Sound recording: "From the diary of Anne Frank" OCLC Number/Unique Identifier: 978183517 Available
Glick, Srul Irving. 1998. I never saw another butterfly : a cycle of songs to children's poems (1942-1944) from the concentration camp at Terezin. 2nd ed. Calgary: Alberta Keys Music Pub. OCLC Number/Unique Identifier: 70693425 Available

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Popular music

Table 49: List of popular music responses to the Holocaust
Description File Number and Link Status
Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart. 1984. Grace under pressure. New York: Mercury.
Red Sector A, a song written and performed by the Canadian rock band Rush. The Holocaust song was written after hearing the story of the liberation of lead-singer Geddy Lee’s mother, Manya Rubenstein, from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. 		OCLC Number/Unique Identifier: 1006321690 Available
Tom Cochrane. 1992. Washed Away; Lunatic Fringe: Live. Hollywood, Calif.: Capitol Records.
A song written and performed by the Canadian band Red Rider, it was inspired by the Holocaust and was included on the band’s 1981 album release As Far As Siam. 		OCLC Number/Unique Identifier: 79865298 Available

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Artistic Responses

Table 50: Artistic Responses to the Holocaust
Description File Number and Link Status
Sketchbook
William Kurelek fonds 		MG31-D231/R4640, vol. 16, items 28.1-28.9 Open

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Published References: Literary, Artistic, and Educational Responses to the Holocaust

Literary

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Visual: early Holocaust photo documentation

  • Trepman, Paul, Rafael Olevski, Dawid Rosental, and Central Committee of the Liberated Jews in the British Zone. 1946. Undzer Ḥurbn in Bild. Bergn-Belzn: Aroysgeber Tsenṭal ḳomiṭeṭ fun di bafrayṭe Yidn in der Britisher zone.
    • Brief description: Early photo documentation of the Holocaust. Text in Yiddish, Hebrew, English and German.
  • Centralna Żydowska Komisja Historyczna w Polsce. 1945. Zagłada Żydostwa Polskiego: Album Zdje̜ć = Extermination of Polish Jews: Album of Pictures. Wydawnictwa Centralnej Żydowskiej Komisji Historycznej Przy C.k. Żydów Polskich, Album 1. Łódż: Centralna Żydowska Komisja Historyczna w Polsce.
    • Brief description: Early photo documentation of the Holocaust.

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Visual: artistes' books, secondary sources on Holocaust art, etc.

Please note: The resources listed are intended to be a sampling, not an exhaustive list. Further research may be required.

Educational

  • Peli, Moshe. 1963. Gibore ha-geto: pirke kriah le-kitolt ha-nemukhot. New York: Histadruth Ivrith of America; Montreal: Canadian Association for Hebrew Education and Culture.
    • Brief description: School book on the Warsaw Ghetto intended for elementary school children learning Hebrew.

General Tools and Sources for Information on the Holocaust