concentration camp complex - National Archives and Records ...

I.6 This Reference Information Paper (RIP) is arranged by records
media (textual records, still pictures, motion pictures, cartographic
records, and microfilm) and thereunder by record group. This arrange­
ment scheme directs researchers to corresponding research rooms at the
National Archives at College Park. There are two exceptions to be noted:
Original Mauthausen Records and Special Collections. Part II describes
these materials, which are drawn from several record groups but closely
related by original provenance or topic. These include Mauthausen camp
registers, the Francois Boix photographic collection, and records pertain­
ing to the Dawes Mission. Most photographs described in this RIP are
integrated into textual records (Part III). Records in the custody of the Still
Picture Branch, described in Part IV, are primarily U.S. Signal Corps
photographs taken at the time of liberation.
I.7 NARA documentation of Mauthausen is widely scattered though
19 record groups (RGs), each of which signifies records of one discrete
government agency. For the researcher, it is useful to think of these in
terms of “clusters” of related agencies and record groups. This can be
illustrated by the “cluster” of agencies involved in liberating the
Mauthausen complex. Wartime intelligence was collected by the Office
of Strategic Services (RG 226), the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey (RG
243), and the U.S. Air Force Office of Director of Intelligence (RG 341).
Planning for liberation of Axis camps in the European Theater took place
in the Civil Affairs Division of SHAEF Headquarters (RG 331). The
Secretary of State in Washington (RG 59); the American Legation in Bern,
Switzerland (RG 84); and the War Refugee Board (RG 220) collaborated
in negotiations to secure a small number of early releases from some of
the worst death camps. The U.S. Army combat units (RG 407) worked
side by side with medical teams (RGs 112 and 407) to liberate, tend, and
repatriate camp survivors.
War Crimes Proceedings
I.8 A majority of the textual records described in this RIP pertain to the pros­
ecution of war criminals associated with the Mauthausen ring. The process
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