The Conference for Jewish Material Claims Against Germany(Claims Conference) has dedicated a cutting-edge technological center to digitize and preserve historical documents and films for Holocaust-related institutions in Israel. The digitization center, established at Yad Vashem, will offer its services at cost -- estimated at a third of the market rate.
During the last two years, the Claims Conference has received numerous requests from Israeli institutions for the digital preservation of old microfilm as well as survivors’ testimonies that are on outdated video or audio formats.
“This service is revolutionary in the field of microfilm,” said Zvi Inbar, Senior Consultant on Allocations at the Claims Conference. “To date, materials were in danger of becoming damaged each time they were opened and viewed. The papers would fray and films would fade. This joint digitization project at Yad Vashem will ensure that vital Holocaust-related materials remain intact and be preserved for future generations. It will also help to strengthen the partnerships and cooperation among institutions in Israel working to preserve documentation of the Shoah,” he continued.
The digitization center will transfer audio reels, audiocassettes, videotapes and other film formats from analog to digital formats. The testimonies, whether audio or video, can then be reproduced onto CDs or DVDs without the degradation that currently occurs during the conversion of tapes. In addition, full transcripts can be added to the films. All written materials will be preserved through a high-level scanning process, which will enable users to print the documents, a task previously impossible. Once properly saved, the computer program will be able to cross-reference these documents (including names, dates, etc).
Institutions interested in utilizing the service can apply directly to the Claims Conference in Israel for the use of the equipment.
The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) represents world Jewry in negotiating for compensation and restitution for victims of Nazi persecution and their heirs.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on Tuesday, January 20, 2004