Bonn Agreements
The International Tracing Service is based on the Bonn Agreements. On June 6, 1955, the governments of Belgium, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the USA signed an agreement to set up an International Commission to supervise the ITS. The Federal Republic of Germany undertook financial responsibility for the ITS.
The International Commission, now consisting of eleven member states, monitors the activities of the ITS. On foundation the ITS was given the humanitarian tasks of providing information about the fate of those persecuted by the Nazi regime and reuniting families torn apart by the war. The ITS is under the direction and management of the International Commission of the Red Cross (ICRC).
On May 16, 2006, the Bonn Agreements were amended to make the information stored in the archives available for research purposes. The ratification process has been completed on 28th November 2007. All eleven member states have signed the amended agreement. The ITS archives are open for historical research, now. Digital copies of the database are accessible in individual member states.
ITS Funding
In the Bonn Agreements, the Federal Republic of Germany committed itself to providing funds for the continuation of the work of the ITS. This was confirmed following German reunification and the annulment of the so-called “Deutschlandvertrag”.
In September 1990, the Foreign Ministry secretary of state wrote a note declaring that Section 7 of Article 1 of the agreement, governing questions arising from war and occupation, remains valid. The section says:
The Federal Republic of Germany undertakes to ensure that the work currently carried out by the International Tracing Service will continue.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees at the Federal Ministry of the Interior is responsible for funding the International Tracing Service. The ITS receives approx. 14 million euro annually.
2007 Budget
The ITS budget is part of the federal budget. ITS’s commitment to transparency also applies to its finances. The following is an overview of the current budget:
- Personnel costs: € 11,895,000
- Running costs and materials: € 940,000
- Information technology: € 777,000
- Other investments: € 30,000