Click here to view complete list of resources for researching NSDAP Cards online
(Worst to best IMHO)
Pros:
Free forever
Excellent large view of cards
Easy to download high-res, scalable images
Cons:
Searching is unreliable
Can only search by name
Pros:
Free; advertising is not intrusive
Finds more results than the NARA tool
Provides direct links to the relevant roll in the search results
Offers a complete listing of the start and end names in all the microfilm rolls
Cons:
Only provides a link to the microfilm roll, not the actual page/image
Can only search by name
Pros:
Sophisticated AI classification and OCR = good search results.
Learn about the data preparation and ongoing additions to the Die Zeit tool
Can search by year and place of birth and Gau as well as by name.
Allows easy, intuitive downloading of high-resolution images and QR codes.
Well-designed for scrolling between cards.
Allows fully manual searches in a more user-friendly interface than NARA’s.
Cons:
Sharing is limited.
Fewer search options and less comprehensive materials than Der Spiegel.
Behind a paywall (over 300€/year).
Pros:
Clean data = good search results.
Learn about the data preparation and ongoing additions to the Der Spiegel tool
Search by year and place of birth, residence city and Gau, and profession.
Allows downloading of high-resolution images and QR codes.
Superb supporting materials in each search dossier.
Cons:
Sharing is limited.
Scrolling between card images isn’t possible.
Behind a paywall (over 300€/year).
These tools were available for a while, but were taken down because the hacktivist who created them pulled the data not directly from NARA, but from Die Zeit's cleaned and organized data set.
While they were available, I tested them. At the time they were much better than either Die Zeit or Der Spiegel (though these tools have been improved since).
Their excellent functionality, and the fact that they will be free, makes it worth checking from time to time to see if they've been re-released.
The Brown Archive search tool: https://brownarchive.org/search
Correctiv/Katapult search tool (a collaboration between two journalistic outlets and the creator of the Brown Archive tool).
Pros:
Free - may require registration
The Brown Archive had:
Outstanding search functionality
Excellent print capability
Ability to submit errors to improve data quality
BrownArchiv.org seems to have been a partner in creating the Correctiv/Katapult search tool, so functionality will probably be similar.
Cons:
Rely on the same NARA source data = same OCR issues
Relied on plagiarized data cleanup – taken down, unclear when they will be re-released
“Abkürzungsverzeichnis zur NSDAP-Mitgliederkartei”. (“Glossary of Abbreviations on NSDAP Cards”) Deutsche Bundessarchiv. German only.
Aisch, Gregor and Linda Fischer. “Recherche Im Bundesarchiv: Meine Angehörigen Waren in Der NSDAP – Wie Recherchiere Ich Weiter?” (“Research in the Federal Archives: My Ancestors Were in the NSDAP: How Do I Do Further Research?”) Die Zeit, 23 Apr. 2026. In addition to research suggestions, this article also contains information about card notations and abbreviations.
Arp, Susmita, et al. “How Der Spiegel Processed the Data from the NSDAP Membership Card File.” Der Spiegel, 29 May 2026.
Duggan, Hannah. “One Name at a Time: How Die Zeit Built a Searchable Database of Nazi Party Members.” Global Investigative Journalism Network, 2026.
“German Kurrent.” Project Ancestry - Austria | Slovenia | Italy , 2019. They also offer professional transcription and translation services.
A tool that converts modern type into Kurrent, Sütterlin, or Fraktur – it can be helpful to type in your guesses about what a card says until you get something that seems like a match.
Morse, Steve. “Converting between Old Germanic Print and Cursive in One Step.” SteveMorse.org, 2026. (This website also contains excellent resources for other types of genealogical research - it's well worth checking out.)
“Die NSDAP-Mitgliederkartei.” (“The NSDAP Membership Card File”) Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026.
A helpful visual index of other NSDAP-issued documents besides Party cards: “E-Guide Arolsen Archives.” E-Guide, Arolsen Archives e-Guide, 2026. Accessed 25 June 2026.
“What Does This Blasted Thing Say?” Beerstein.net, 2026.
If you’re not sure of your family member’s “Gau”, you may find this map useful.
Wikipedia page listing the current names of streets named after AH during the Nazi period.
Jacobs, Frank. “German Street Names Still Echo Nazi, Communist, and Even Roman Past.” Big Think, 15 Aug. 2021.
Schulte, Bennet/Wikipedia, “Map of de facto administrative divisions of Nazi Germany in 1944”, Creative Commons License CC-BY-SA-3.0-DE.
Every state (not national - federal state) archive should contain city directories to help you figure out the current name of a street, but you may need to visit in person. Contact information for federal state archives is below under “Denazification”.
“Adolf H-tl-r and the N-z- Rise to Power, 1918–1933.” Holocaust Encyclopedia, 2025.
Aisch, Gregor, et al. “NSDAP Membership Records: Use Our Tool to Learn about Your Family’s N-z- Party History.” Die Zeit, 23 Apr. 2026.
“Armin Nolzen Interview” Gesternistjetzt.de, 2019.
“The Army and the Occupation of Germany.” National Army Museum, 2025.
“Avalon Project : Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression - Volume 1 Chapter VI.” Yale.Edu, 2026. Contains a useful list of the NSDAP and its affiliated organizations.
Bauer, Jakob, and Selina Rudolph. “Austritt Aus Der NSDAP: Wie Schwer War Es, Aus H-tl-rs Partei Auszutreten?” (“Leaving the NSDAP: How Hard Was It to Leave H-tl-er’s Party?”) Die Zeit, 21 April 2026.
Bell, Bethany. “New Search Engine Reveals If Ancestors Were in N-z- Party.” BBC.com, BBC News, 14 Apr. 2026.
Benard, Cheryl. “Allies in Vienna”. Arch-Europe, 18 July 2025.
Bohr, Felix, et al. “Nazi Card Index Digitized: The Lies Come to an End.” Substack.Com, Der Spiegel. 17 May 2026.
Boles, Sy. “Who Joined the N-z- Party.” Harvard Gazette, 15 May 2026.
Bosshart, Luis et al. "Hysteresis and Selection in the Rise of Fascism: The 'Ordinary Men' of the Nazi Party." National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 35120. April 2026.
Breitman, Richard, and Norman J. W. Goda. Hitler’s Shadow: N-z- War Criminals, U.S. Intelligence, and the Cold War. US National Archives. 2012. Available as a free PDF or in paperback.
Brustein, William. The Logic of Evil: The Social Origins of the Nazi Party, 1925-1933. Yale University Press, 1998. Still available from the publisher in hardcover and affordable used versions are available from online retailers as well.
Cleaver, Hannah. “Teenage rebels who fought N-z-s are honoured at last.” The Telegraph, 25 June 2005.
Cords, Suzanne. “Were Grandma and Grandpa N-z-s?” Deutsche Welle, 31 Mar. 2026.
“Denazification”. Alliiertenmuseum, 7 October 2024.
“Frauen Im Nationalsozialismus: Ihr Kampf” (“Women in National Socialism: Her Fight”). Die Zeit, 9 July 2017.
Goodyear, Sheena. “Austrian Man Finds out His Grandfather Was a Nazi in Just a Few Clicks. He’s Encouraging Others to Do the Same.” CBC, 24 Apr. 2026.
“The Holocaust and World War II: Key Dates.” Holocaust Encyclopedia, 2026.
Iken, Katja. “Familiengeschichte Im Nationalsozialismus: Was Sagt Die Entnazifizierungsakte über Ihre Vorfahren?” (“Family History under National Socialism: What Do the Denazification Files Say About Your Ancestors?”). Der Spiegel, 9 May 2026.
Haque OS, De Freitas J, Viani I, Niederschulte B, Bursztajn HJ. "Why did so many German doctors join the Nazi Party early?" Int J Law Psychiatry. 2012 Sep-Dec;35(5-6):473-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2012.09.022. Epub 2012 Oct 3. PMID: 23040706.
Jarausch, Konrad H., and Gerhard Arminger. “The German Teaching Profession and Nazi Party Membership: A Demographic Logit Model.” The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, vol. 20, no. 2, 1989, pp. 197–225.
Jarausch, Konrad H. “The Perils of Professionalism: Lawyers, Teachers, and Engineers in Nazi Germany.” German Studies Review, vol. 9, no. 1, 1986, pp. 107–37.
Jungblut, Peter. “Seit der Online-Freigabe: Ansturm auf NSDAP-Mitgliederkartei” (“Since The Online Release: Rush to Find NSDAP Membership Cards”). Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR 24), 18 Mar. 2026.
Kassam, Ashifa. “Nazi Party Membership Card of Dutch Royal Confirmed as Authentic.” The Guardian, 6 Oct. 2023.
Kellerhoff, Sven-Felix. “NSDAP-Mitgliederkartei: ‘Das Wird Die Säuberungsaktion in Deutschland Beträchtlich erleichtern’” (“NSDAP Member Cards: ‘This will make cleanup in Germany significantly easier’”). Die Welt, 18 Oct. 2025.
“Iris Lauterbach Über Die Auslagerung Und Auffindung Der NSDAP-Kartei Vor 75 Jahren” ZIspotlight.de, 27 Apr. 2020.
Martinez-Conde, Susana. “The Long-Lasting Effects of Nazi Indoctrination.” Scientific American Blog, 12 July 2015.
Mulley, Clare. The Women Who Flew for H-tl-r: The True Story of H-tl-r’s Valkyries. Macmillan. 2017. (Also available in bookstores.)
Neumayer, Ingo. “Interview zu Erinnerungskultur in Deutschland | Die böse Seite des lieben Opas.” (“Interview on the Culture of Memory in Germany | The Evil Side of Your Beloved Grandpa”) Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR). 21 May 2026.
“NSdoku München - Party Quarter of the NSDAP.” Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism, 2026.
“Office of Special Investigations”. USA Bulletin 54:1 (January 2006).
Pammer, Michael. "Review of Hitler's Austria: Popular Sentiment in the Nazi Era, 1938-1945". Journal of Social History, vol. 35 no. 1, 2001, p. 221-223.
Pfaffenzeller, Martin, and Eva-Maria Schnurr. “Neue Daten in Der N-zi-Kartei: Was Sie über die SS Wissen Sollten.” (“New Data in the N-zi Card Catalog: What You Should Know about the SS”. Der Spiegel, 17 June 2026.
Quince, Annabelle. “Austria Struggles to Come to Grips with Nazi Past.” ABC Listen, 4 Nov. 2015.
Ray, Michael. “N-z- Party - The N-z- Party and Hitler’s Rise to Power.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Aug. 2022.
“The Role of Civil Servants.” USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia, 2023.
“The Role of Doctors and Nurses.” Holocaust Encyclopedia, 2020.
Schiele, Dieter. "Mitgliedsnummer der NSDAP bis 100,000" ("NSDAP Membership Numbers Up to 100,000"). Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ordenskunde. 27 September 2023. These are the recipients of the so-called "Goldenes Parteiabzeichen" or "Golden Party Badge" - people who joined the Party early and remained members.
Schmiegel, Cathrin, and Max Polonyi. “Familien Im Nationalsozialismus: ‘My Grandmother Said We Had Nothing to Do With the N-z-s. A Fat Lie.’” Der Spiegel. 17 May 2026.
Schneider, Sebastian. “War Opa Ein N-z-?” (Was Grandpa a N-z-?”). Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB). 3 April 2026.
Smith, Ashley. “What Are Stolpersteine? Quick Guide to Europe’s Stumbling Stones.” Destination: WWII, Aug. 2025.
“Spruchkammerverfahren” (“Hearings of the Citizens’ Tribunals”). Landesarchiv Hessen, 2026.
“A Test of Loyalty.” Facing History & Ourselves, 2 August 2016.
Thadeusz, Frank. “Verbrechen Der Wehrmacht: ‘Für Mich Ist Bis Heute Eine Offene Frage, Ob Mein Großvater Auch Geschossen Hat’.”(“Crimes of the Wehrmacht: ‘For Me, Even Today, the Question Remains Whether My Grandfather Also Fired Shots’.”) Der Spiegel, 23 June 2026.
“Zum Mitgliedschaftswesen Der NSDAP” (“NSDAP Membership and the Membership Process”). Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026.
“Arolsen Archives - International Center on Nazi Persecution.” Arolsen Archives, 15 Dec. 2025.
The German Federal Archives website contains not only catalogs but also articles with superb historical information on many different research topics.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is located in Washington DC. It was commissioned in 1978 by President Carter and opened in 1993. It offers in-person exhibits as well as in-person and online research materials.
Online Holocaust Encyclopedia: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/
The Wiener Holocaust Library is the oldest Holocaust library in the world. Located in London, it contains over one million artifacts, some of which are available in its online digital collections.
This page contains an extremely comprehensive description of all NSDAP records available at NARA - both Party cards and other professional organizations: “Records Relating to Membership in the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP), 1945–1994”. Archives.gov, 2026.
“Captured German and Related Records on Microfilm.” National Archives, 12 Sept. 2016.
“Holocaust-Related Records at the National Archives.” National Archives, 15 Aug. 2016..
“Independent Researchers Available for Hire.” National Archives, 15 Aug. 2016.
“National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized.” Archives.Gov, 11 Oct. 2024.
“Die NSDAP-Mitgliederkartei in den US National Archives (NARA): Ein Recherche-Leitfaden” (“NSDAP Member Cards in NARA: A Research Guide”). Welt der Vorfahren, 15 Mar. 2026.
“NSDAP-Mitgliederkartei: In welcher Filmrolle sollte ich eine Person suchen?" (“NSDAP Member Cards: In Which Microfilm Roll Should I Search for a Person?”) Welt Der Vorfahren, 4 Apr. 2026.
“Plan Your Research Visit.” National Archives, 15 Aug. 2016.
“Anfragen an das Bundesarchiv” (“Inquiries to the Federal Archives”). Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026.
“Benutzung und Auskunft aus der digitalisierten NSDAP-Mitgliederkartei” (“Use and Information about the digitalized NSDAP Member Card Catalog”). Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026 [Note: This link appears to be to the “Stasi Files Archive” but it really does take you to the information about the NSDAP cards].
“Benutzungsantrag Stellen.” (“Submit a Request to Use the Archives”) Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2024.
“Federal Archives Act.” (Explains what the “legitimate interest” rules are.) Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2017.
Leaman, George. “The Holdings of the Berlin Document Center: A Guide to the Collections.” (PDF). Academia.Edu. Published in 1994, when the records were transferred to the Bundesarchiv - but it remains useful as a list of what’s available.
“Kontaktformular Bundesarchiv” (“Federal Archives Contact Form”). Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026.
“Mitgliederverzeichnis der DAP und der NSDAP” (“Membership Register of the German Workers’ Party and the NSDAP”) Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, 2026.
“Personenbezogene Unterlagen Militärischer Herkunft” (“Military Files about Individual Persons”). Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2025.
“Recherchedienste beauftragen” (“Commission Research Services”). Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026.
“Research on Nazi Germany.” Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026.
You can email the Berlin archive where the Party cards are held at berlin@bundesarchiv.de. (They also have a telephone number, but their website makes clear that they can only answer very basic inquiries by phone.)
Military records are housed in the German Federal Archive in Freiburg, which can be reached by email at militaerarchiv@bundesarchiv.de.
“Personal Documents of Military Provenance.” Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026.
A standard reference work that is highly recommended by the Bundesarchiv: “Military Formations and Units up To 1945.” Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv, 2026.
There is an online catalog for the Bundesarchiv called “Invenio”, but it appears to be universally loathed by researchers. I tried it and it’s one of the worst I’ve ever used. If you’re brave/have the patience of a saint, here’s the link (https://invenio.bundesarchiv.de/invenio/login.xhtml) - but I would instead recommend asking AI to find direct links to military records in Germany. It’s much quicker and will save your sanity.
The Arolsen Archives (International Center on Nazi Persecution). The world’s most comprehensive online archive on Nazi victims. You can also submit a digital inquiry form if you need help.
European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI) Portal indexes (among other things) which local archives across Europe hold specific "euthanasia" collections.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum holds microfilmed and digitized copies of many German state archives related to Aktion T4. Records are accessible in Washington, D.C.; some are available online.
NS “Euthanasie” Gedenken. A personal website from a relative of two victims that contains many useful links.
Records are split between many sites. Contact each site directly - contact information is below.
Many sites primarily have trial archives - original death records were often destroyed.
Navigating the archives often requires a knowledge of German. Please reach out to me for help if you need it!
The usual privacy restrictions apply.
Deutsche Bundesarchiv. Records relating to Aktion T4 that were hidden by the Stasi (East German secret police) have now been made available. You can request them as you would other records.
Grafeneck. The first killing site in Germany
Hadamar. In person, by appointment only.
Hartheim Castle Documentation Centre. Holds artifacts, personal effects, and regional hospital records. Records can be viewed only in person, by appointment.
Vienna: Am Spiegelgrund and Maria Gugging Psychiatric Clinic. Both sites contain memorials, but the records are primarily preserved by the Vienna City and State Archives (Wiener Stadt- und Landesarchiv) and the Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance (DÖW).
Blumberg, Jana and Heinz Fehlauer. “Personenbezogene Unterlagen der NS-Zeit.” (“Personal Files of the National Socialist Period”). EHRI Online Course in Holocaust Studies, 2026.
Files for 3,100 war crimes cases: “Home - Justiz und NS-Verbrechen.” Stichting voor wetenschappelijk onderzoek van nationaal-socialistische misdrijven, 2026.
This list is broken into the former East German and West German states because denazification was carried out differently under by the Soviets and the Western Allies. In general, the archives of former East German states are much harder to use.
Family Search research wiki pages may be useful in understanding what is available where.
Former East German states:
Brandenburg. Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania).
There are several different archives in this state - here’s a compilation of links to all of them, including church archives.
It seems that most denazification files for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are found at the Schwerin archives.
Here are some direct links to denazification files in their catalog. I am not at all sure that this is a comprehensive list! So definitely keep searching if these links don’t give you what you need.
I strongly recommend that you send an inquiry to this archive to ask for help - it is really hard to figure out on your own.
Sachsen (Saxony). Staatsarchiv Sachsen (They don’t seem to have denazification papers readily available - try their contact form.)
Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt). Lansdeshauptarchiv Sachsen-Anhalt.
Thüringen (Thuringia). Landesarchiv Thüringen.
There are five archive locations - it seems that denazification records are in the Weimar location.
Here’s the online search page for the archive holdings. Unless you speak fluent German, you will need to translate this page. Click on the main links (yellow file box icons) to open up a sub-menu of links with blue file icons. These are clickable and will take you to more information.
You will likely want to hire professional research help to use this archive.
Former West German states:
Baden-Württemberg. Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg.
Bavaria (Bayern). Die Staatlichen Archive Bayerns.
Bremen. Staatsarchiv Bremen. Information on denazification documents can be found here; the collection is available only on microfilm due to the poor condition of the original documents.
Hamburg. Staatsarchiv Hamburg.
Hessen (Hesse). Hessisches Hauptstaatsarchiv. There are several locations; denazification records – specifically, the records of the citizens’ tribunals – seem to be kept primarily in the Wiesbaden location.
Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony). Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv (NLA). There are several locations and denazification records appear to be spread across all of them, depending on where an individual went through the denazification process.
North Rhine-Westfalia. Landesarchiv Nordrhein Westfalen.
Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz). Staatlichen Archive von Rheinland-Pfalz.
Saarland. Landesarchiv Saarland.
Schleswig-Holstein. Landesarchiv Schleswig-Holstein (LASH).
Berlin:
Landesarchiv Berlin (Following reunification, the formerly divided East Berlin merged with West Berlin to form the unified city-state of Berlin, joining the Federal Republic as its capital).
General information on family research in the Austrian State Archives
Austrian State (i.e. National) Archives (may contain some denazification material, though most is kept at the state level).
Burgenland:
Burgenländisches Landesarchiv (state archive)
Stadt- und Kommunalarchive im Burgenland (local archives - may be useful, maybe not)
Kärnten (Corinthia):
Niederösterreich (Lower Austria):
Oberösterreich (Upper Austria):
Salzburg:
Steirmark (Styria):
Tirol (Tyrol):
Vorarlberg:
Wien (Vienna):
Vienna is both a city and its own federal state, and the archive has both state- and city-level documents):
Wiener Stadt- und Landesarchiv (denazification records are here)
Austrian Church Archives:
These probably won’t have anything, but are included here just in case: https://www.oesta.gv.at/services/archivregister/kirchenarchive.html