The Helen Bader Foundation recently awarded a joint grant to the American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin and the Red Cross Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center in Baltimore (HWVTC). The funding will help Red Cross continue to serve local residents affected by World War II through greater community awareness and training for caseworkers.

For the last 60 years, the International Committee of the Red Cross has traced Holocaust victims through records currently stored in the archive in Bad Arolsen, Germany. The records contain a wide range of detail. Some have meticulous information about the dates a person stayed in various camps and the way he or she was transported. Others contain only snippets of data such as a name on a train’s passenger list. No matter how spotty the information, the HWVTC has done its best to find information about persons missing since World War II so their family can find peace. Though the project has an international scope, our local caseworkers have played a part in this important service.

At the Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin, trained caseworkers like Susan Schaefer assist those who seek information about their loved ones. They guide victims through the initial paperwork and send tracing requests to the HWVTC in Baltimore for review. The HWVTC forwards the requests to Germany. Answers are directly relayed back to the chapter. Through this process, these caseworkers work with victims and keep them updated on the status of their requests.

Though the Red Cross does not receive a large number of requests, Schaefer points to their successes like the sisters they helped reunite after being apart for 50 years. Second generation survivors, children of Holocaust victims, have also received details of their family history and located relatives. Others have learned when and how family members died. Though the information is heart-breaking, it can be vital for a family’s healing and the process of respecting the people that were lost.

Schaefer says the Bader grant will take this program a step further. That step started when the HWVTC held an interactive online training this month for Red Cross caseworkers throughout Wisconsin. Emphasizing the international nature of this service, the call was joined by caseworkers from the Canadian Red Cross. The Red Cross also hopes to partner with employees from other local agencies who will complete the training and eventually guide their own clients through the Red Cross tracing process.

In early 2008, Linda Klein, director of the HWVTC, will come to Milwaukee to promote further trainings and community awareness. Klein also plans to visit numerous community sites such as nursing homes, clubs and churches to briefly explain the process and educate people on the services available. 

Schaefer believes that because of the recent grant, “there will be an increased awareness in the community about the range of services provided by the Red Cross.” With more outreach tools, the Red Cross will be able to educate the public and give some families answers that are long overdue.