iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Alex Calzareth

Robert Loerzel @robertloerzel.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

I wrote this for Chicago magazine about the U.S. government's plans to close the National Archives branch in Chicago:

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Family Tree Magazine @familytreemag.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

🆕 podcast! In this month's Family Tree Magazine Podcast, we sit down to talk with Brooke Schreier-Ganz and Alec Ferretti to discuss how @reclaimtherecords.org fights for records releases and what that means for genealogists. List now by clicking the link below or on your favorite podcast app!

familytreemagazine.com

Understanding Reclaim the Records - An Interview with Brooke Schreier-Ganz and Alec Ferretti - Family Tree Magazine

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine Podcast, Brook Schreier-Ganz and Alec Ferretti explain how Reclaim the Records fights for record releases and what that means for genealogists.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

The Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) is getting a new commissioner - official announcement here: www.nyc.gov/mayors-offic...

nyc.gov

Mayor Mamdani Appoints Leaders Across City Government, Including the Department of Design and Construction and Department of Records and Information Services

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

With complicated access rules at the German Federal archives, these newly online records caused NARA's online catalog (catalog.archives.gov) to slow to a crawl and become unresponsive at times but improvements have been made. (A reminder to all: Tell Congress to increase NARA's funding!)

catalog.archives.gov

The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Covered by German genealogical groups and in the German news over the last month, the new records are the Nazi Party membership cards. More at www.dw.com/en/were-gran... and www.morgenpost.de/panorama/art...

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

The US National Archives (NARA) has been adding more and more digital copies of already-microfilmed records, relatively low-hanging fruit that widely expands access. (See tinyurl.com/NARAmicrofil... then "Browse Microfilm Catalog"). The latest addition has seen widespread interest - in Germany

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Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 18/03/2026

New York state has a chance to strengthen its Freedom of Information Law and be a bright spot amid rising authoritarianism and secrecy. That's why we're calling on the Legislature to pass four key transparency bills for Sunshine Week 2026. Read more: reinventalbany.org/2026/03/grou...

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Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 15/03/2026

It’s 2026 and Sunshine Week ☀️is here once again! The Foilies, a project from EFF and MuckRock shines a light on government agencies and officials that have demonstrated an utter disdain for transparency. Check out the “honorees” for the The Foilies 2026: eff.org/deeplinks/2...

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

I did research there in July 2022, my grandfather was born in Gablonz, where the family had lived since the 1880s. The archivist helped find school records and architectural plans for some of the houses my family had built, among other documents.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

OK, if it was before 1956 then all the documentation should from his A-File should have been moved to his Certificate File (C-File) upon naturalization. However, hundreds of thousands of people still have A-Files who meet these criteria, but I believe most of them have moved to Kansas City.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

2) If you don't find the entry there AND the person did not become a citizen before 30 March 1956: any A-File would still be with USCIS so you would need to submit a genealogy program request (genealogy.uscis.dhs.gov) but you could go straight to the record request (A-File below 8 million)

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Mid-century INS records are always fun. CER only has the digitized microfilms of the 2-page AR-2 forms (rarely there's a third page.) There may also be an A-File, I'd first search RG 566 (US Citizenship & Immigration Services) - 2.1 million file entries: catalog.archives.gov/search-withi... -

catalog.archives.gov

The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Was this request processed through CER (center for electronic records at A2 in College Park) or for records at Kansas City?

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Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · 31/12/2025

Happy New Year, you guys! It's time for our 2025 Year in Review, and a look ahead to 2026 -- what records are going online next?! www.reclaimtherecords.org/about/year-i...

reclaimtherecords.org

Reclaim The Records Year in Review 2025 - Reclaim The Records

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

The information is still in their files, but they're finding excuses to not process certain records at all, primarily foreign language documents in the A-Files, including birth certificates, divorce records, etc.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Here's a side-by-side comparison (2024 on left, 2025 on right) of an A-File for a relative (b. 1909, d. 2007). The 43-page release from 2024 (no redactions) is now 38 pages: 5 pages deleted, 9 pages withheld in full, 18 pages with redactions, 11 released in full drive.google.com/file/d/18ZO6...

drive.google.com

Norbert Baer A-File b 1909 (2024 Release vs 2025 Release).pdf

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

If you've been noticing that USCIS A-File FOIA searches and responses have gotten much worse over the last few months, we now have confirmation of their intentional policy changes due to a whistleblower. Today's court filing & 17-page whistleblower letter from PACER: drive.google.com/file/d/1Ravs...

drive.google.com

Nightingale v. USCIS (319-cv-03512) - Docket no 193 .pdf

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Visit www.NewYorkDeathIndex.com to search the first ever public NYS death index for 1973 - 2017. Place of death also available starting in 1957 so you can order genealogy copies (death >50 years ago) from a local municipality and skip the 5 year NYS DOH wait. (NYC is separate and not included)

newyorkdeathindex.com

The New York State Death Index (1880-2017) - a FREE database from Reclaim The Records

Search more than ten million historical records of people who died in New York State, from 1880 to 2017

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Nicholas Courtman @ncourtman.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

www.lbi.org/events/court... Anyone in New York City in January who wants to learn a bit more about re-naturalisation rights of German Jews and their descendants after 1945, I’ll be giving a talk on the topic at the Leo Baeck institute on the 15th of January.

lbi.org

Unwelcome Returns? (Re-)Naturalisation Rights of German Jews and their Descendants in the Federal Republic of Germany: with Nicholas Courtman

Join LBI as Nicholas Courtman discusses ? (Re-)Naturalisation Rights of German Jews and their Descendants in the Federal Republic of Germany on January 15, 2025.

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Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · 21/10/2025

What's a #FOIA Appeal? What's some good language to use when you want to argue with the government about why they should be giving you the file you asked for, instead of some "genealogy letter"? We got you covered, fam. Check out our advice in our latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

mailchi.mp

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

This is New York State law, although some clerks within NY charge only $10 for everyone. The genealogy fee is a $20 search fee and $2 copy fee, but even with the exact information you have to pay the $22.

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Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · 01/09/2025

NEW: We just published 1.5 million NEW BIRLS records for 2020-2023, ALL FREE -- but now the VA doesn't want you to see any of them! Read all about it in our latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

mailchi.mp

Reclaim The Records

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 09/08/2025

Yes, apparently the staff cuts coupled with almost 20,000 requests led them to try to restrict access. As you see it will probably be a bit of a fight, but we’ll see what we can do

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 09/08/2025

Interestingly, while VA hospitals are covered by HIPAA, the VBA that has these records is not: www.va.gov/OGC/docs/200...

va.gov

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Joshua Eaton @joshuaeaton.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

I heard there was a secret “b” Toward the end of “blueberry” But you don’t really care for AI, do you? It went like this — the first, the fifth, The secret “b” in the seventh The baffled bot composing “bluebebry.” Bluebebry Bluebebry Bluebebry Bluebebry

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

In December, RTR launched BIRLS.org along with a very easy way to make FOIA requests for deceased veterans' claim files. As of late July, the VA will no longer release these great files, only short summaries. See www.birls.org/updates - RTR is working on learning more & fighting these changes.

birls.org

Search the BIRLS Database - over 18 million records about deceased US veterans, from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, now online and FREE from Reclaim The Records

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Brad Lander @bradlander.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

🚨🚨🚨NEW AD🚨🚨🚨

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Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · 14/06/2025

OUR BILL PASSED the New York State Assembly yesterday -- UNANIMOUSLY! 🤩 It's still not a done deal yet. It has to go to the governor, and be signed, and not have last-minute line-item edits or a veto. But we are now SO much closer to reforming New York's vital records access!

media.tenor.com

a cartoon drawing of a man wearing a shirt that says law .

ALT: a cartoon drawing of a man wearing a shirt that says law .

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Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · 29/05/2025

You guys...? We did it. 🥰 We won the FULL NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX FOR 1880-2017! We beat the largest government agency in the state of New York (@nysdoh.bsky.social), in the highest court of the state, through a Freedom of Information Law (#FOIL) suit. www.reclaimtherecords.org/records-requ...

reclaimtherecords.org

The FULL New York State Death Index, 1880-2017 - Reclaim The Records

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National Security Counselors 🕵 @nationalsecuritylaw.org · 17/05/2025

This is a symptom of a bigger problem that extends beyond immigration into pretty much every type of civil litigation against the feds. Almost every time you get a declaration in a case from a fed, it's from someone who has NO personal knowledge of the facts they're testifying about.

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Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · 13/05/2025

🚨 Reclaim The Records is working on A BRAND NEW LAW in the New York State Legislature! 🚨 We want to finally FIX New York State historical records access, and put it all online for everyone! And we need your help! Read our latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

mailchi.mp

Reclaim The Records

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

There's a Mary Emmett who died on 21 August 1964 buried in the "Choniker" Independent Aid Association at Montefiore Cemetery in Queens. There's also a Morris Budofsky in the same section, who died in July 1967.

Screenshot showing burial details of Mary Emmett

Screenshot showing burial details of Morris Budofsky

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Renée Carl @easteuromutt.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

What is the relationship between Congress and records preservation and access? Spoiler alert: funding! Join us on Sunday 2 March to understand more and learn how your voice can make a difference. Event is open to all, but registration is required.

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Jennifer Mendelsohn @jmendelsohn.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Are you a journalist, genealogist or historian who has ever used records from the National Archives? It's time to step up and take some simple steps to preserve federal records. And save our nation's history. Please visit this website. And share widely. fundnara.com

fundnara.com

fundNARA.com - Congress must fund the National Archives at the current level!

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provides core government functions necessary to preserve, protect, and make accessible records from all three branches of the federal government...

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Dan Friedman @dfriedman.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

The acting head of the National Achives is stepping down, a week after his boss was fired, as Trump takes full control of US records. What could go wrong? www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

motherjones.com

National Archives head resigns as Trump takes control of records

Sources name conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt and far-right journalist John Solomon as potential replacements.

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Renée Carl @easteuromutt.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

We need to talk about the Federal Records Act. Everything else is a distraction.

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Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · 06/02/2025

TONIGHT: (Thursday Feb 6th, 5 PM ET): Meeting/Panel via Zoom, about New York State Vital Records Access! RTR board members Alex Calzareth and Alec Ferretti will discuss the access changes proposed in the FY 2025-2026 budget. Free and open to everyone! Register here: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

us06web.zoom.us

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: JGSLI Special Meeting: NYS Vital Records Access. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

The FY2026 New York State budget proposes to severely limit access to historical New York State vital records and to greatly increase the cost of the records that remain available. Join JGSLI members,...

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Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · 05/02/2025

URGENT: New York Wants to Lock Up Vital Records — Again! 😫 A backdoor proposal to essentially ban public access to birth, marriage, and death records got snuck into their annual budget bill?! And we have FIVE DAYS to do something about it?! Here's how we can stop it: mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

mailchi.mp

Reclaim The Records

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

Today on International Holocaust Remembrance Day I'm remembering my great-great-grandfather, Friedrich Fried, and my maternal grandparents' aunts, uncles and cousins along with another 400+ relatives of varying degrees in my extended family tree who were all killed in the Holocaust.

Fried Family of Gablonz and Jablonec including Friedrich Fried, Mizzi (Marie) Weil and Fred Weil, with photograph of Friedrich and Mizzi and a note that no known photograph of Fred exists. Friedrich died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1942, Mizzi and Fred likely in Auschwitz in October 1944.

Photographs of Julius Baer and his son Kurt. Boxes with the following information: Julius died in Gurs in December 1940, Kurt in Mauthausen in October 1941, Karola Münzer née Baer and her two children, Wolfgang and Gad at Auschwitz in January 1943.

3 boxes each with a photograph and biographical text summarized: Hedwig Krieger, born 1890 in Weingarten, Inge Brückner born 1921 in Munich and Walter Brückner born 1926 in Munich, all killed at the Ninth Fort near Kaunas, Lithuania on 25 November 1941.

3 Boxes each with a photograph of a Löwenstein brother and his wife, who all lived in Weingarten, Baden. Jakob, born 1876 and his wife Helene née Baer, born 1881 in Untergrombach, Moritz, born 1880 and his wife, Hilda nee Fuchs, born 1888 and Julius, born 1883 and his wife Betty née Löb, born 1886. All were killed at Auschwitz in mid-August 1942.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

The 1963 "Directory of Courts Having Jurisdiction in Naturalization Proceedings" www.familysearch.org/search/film/... is a good place to start. It shows that Northampton County Common Pleas Court did naturalization proceedings, even in 1963. The records are not online. Try norcopa.gov/prothonotary

familysearch.org

FamilySearch.org

Discover your family history. Explore the world’s largest collection of free family trees, genealogy records and resources.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

Which county/state did these ancestors live in when they naturalized? The records may only be at the county and not on Ancestry or FamilySearch. If you've searched the county and nearby federal courts and aren't finding anything you can also do an index search through the USCIS genealogy program.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

A duplicate copy of the certificate is held in the C-File for mid-1906 to March 31, 1956 naturalizations. Digitized microfilm through mid-1940s, paper then until Mar. 1956. You can use the Certificate number on the back of the petition to request through "record request" at genealogy.uscis.dhs.gov#/

genealogy.uscis.dhs.gov

DHS Genealogy Request PageDHS Genealogy Request Page

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Jason Leopold @jasonleopold.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

NEW FOIA Files is out! The National Archives painted a dire picture for the future of America’s historical records, docs I obtained show. NARA, which sparked one of the criminal investigations against Trump, now needs his help. But it has a huge target on its back www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...

bloomberg.com

The National Archives Needs Trump’s Support But the Agency Has a Target on Its Back

The National Archives painted a dire picture for the future of America’s historical records, according to documents FOIA Files obtained. The agency, which sparked one of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s c...

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

Great! They're able to solve this particular issue quickly, this will either come certified USPS or may come via UPS, and hopefully they use one of their sturdier outer envelopes.

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Alex Calzareth @alcalz.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

That’s very frustrating. Try emailing FOIA.VBASTL@va.gov with the veteran’s information/copy of the request and they can send you a new copy of the DVD. If you don’t hear back in a week or so let me know. (I’ve had to do this when my requests got lost in the ether.)

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