The American Red Cross works with other members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement around the world and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to locate missing loved ones during or after war, civil unrest, or a disaster in another country.  Not only do we accept tracing requests from King County residents who lost contact with family members overseas, but we also search locally for people whose overseas relatives believe last resided in our county.  Our national headquarters in Washington, D.C., acts as the conduit to and from other Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the ICRC.  As with all international services, this tracing service is provided free of charge.

As Holocaust survivors and their families continue to age, the importance of making our tracing services accessible to them becomes increasingly urgent.

With the former Soviet Union's 1990 release of Nazi-era documents to the Red Cross, we can now determine the fate of more victims and survivors of Nazi persecution.  For many, sadly, no information is available even with access to these records.  For others, a search can bring closure in the confirmation of a loved one's death, or even the miracle of a reunion.

A search begins with a call or letter to the American Red Cross Serving Mower County.  For more information on the American Red Cross Holocaust Tracing Program, visit the web site for our Holocaust War Victims Tracing and Information Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Worldwide Message Delivery Servicesn times of war and disaster, many people are unable to contact relatives because of disrupted or unreliable postal and telephone systems.  Through an international network of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the ICRC, we can attempt to send a message with a current address to a family member in another country, and through the same means deliver a reply message to the inquirer.

When an earthquake, typhoon, or other natural disaster strikes, normal ways that families keep in touch with each other may be unavailable for some time.  People in the United States who are anxious about the welfare of their relatives in a disaster-stricken area can call on the Red Cross.  When the national Red Cross or Red Crescent society of the affected country is able to accept inquiries, that society will look for family members and forward any information about their welfare through Red Cross channels to the originating chapter.

Note: If your family member is an American citizen living or traveling abroad in non-U.S. territories, please call American Citizen Services, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C., at (888) 407-4747.

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