A wave of historical reckoning is sweeping through Germany as millions of citizens confront an uncomfortable question that has become a topic of intense discussion in households across the country: "Was my grandfather a Nazi?" The question has gained urgency following an unprecedented release by the United States National Archives of more than nine million historical documents from the Nazi Party era.
The records, preserved for decades in American archives, have suddenly exposed the darkest chapters of German family history. Although the original American system was cumbersome, did not allow searches by name, and crashed under heavy traffic, German media outlets quickly stepped in to fill the gap.
