Overview

• On July 23, the Bavarian State Archives and the Arolsen Archives launched a Europe-wide search to locate descendants of more than 50 undelivered farewell letters from inmates executed at Munich-Stadelheim between 1941 and 1945.
• These documents are part of 844 execution files that record over 1,000 Nazi-sanctioned executions and reveal how the regime imposed death sentences for minor political and social offenses.
• Inmates aged 19 to 81, including White Rose members Hans and Sophie Scholl, penned final messages to family and friends shortly before their beheadings.
• A volunteer-driven network is combing archival repositories and online platforms across Germany, Poland, France and Czechia to trace intended recipients.
• In the coming weeks the Arolsen Archives will contact two Polish families to offer copies of their relatives’ farewell messages.