The Record - May 1998 Searching for Records Relating to Nazi
Gold: Part II by Greg Bradsher "Everyone should understand the
role of records in establishing rights and legitimizing
identities and liberties." So began a letter to the editor of
Time Magazine (March 17, 1997) by John W. Carlin, Archivist of
the United States. "The dramatic case of the search for Nazi
gold is an excellent example of the value of records not only in
documenting historical facts but also in preserving essential
evidence," he continued. "For us at the National Archives and
Records Administration," Carlin concluded, "the role of
preserving and providing access to this essential evidence of
history is at the core of our mission." Indeed, NARA's holdings
of records relating to "Nazi Gold" and its ability to make those
records available in a timely manner has demonstrated the
importance of NARA not only to this country but to peoples,
governments, and organizations in other countries. The search
for what has become known as "Nazi Gold" r