Most of the information in the lists was gathered by the local Jewish councils that were struggling to establish themselves in various places. When Jewish survivors returned to their home towns and visited these Jewish councils in search of information about missing relatives and friends, they voluntarily registered themselves. The data they provided was forwarded to the statistical departments and was compiled into card indexes. Additional lists were compiled at Displaced Persons camps and in other refugee centers.

The lists listed below represent photocopies of the original lists published by the World Jewish Congress and by other agencies. They are available for use in the Reading Room of the YIVO Library at the Center for Jewish History.