Ancestry Magazine

Digital image storage preserves heritage.

The images were eerie, almost haunting, as they appeared on the computer screen, one after another, ten seconds apart. At first we weren’t certain what they were pictures of or why they were on display in the vending area at the genealogical conference we were attending. We only knew that these images were riveting, magnetic in their hold on us. They were not the usual pictures one would see on display—not the family group photos commonly seen at genealogy shows. These were different: a strongman holding a young woman above his head with one arm extended straight up to the sky. A little boy seated on a big bicycle, held in place by a woman. People in costumes. A young man posing while on a ski trip. In all the pictures, the people were smiling and laughing, glad to be alive. Yet something didn’t seem right—the pictures were vivid, but the feelings they evoked were out of focus.

“Interesting, aren’t they,” said a voice from beside us.

We nodded, uncertain what to say.

The man who had spoken extended his hand and introduced himself as Roger Murray, owner of Cinevision Corporation, the company displaying the images.

“What are these pictures of?” we asked.

“These are images from pre-Second World War eastern Europe, especially Poland,” he answered, which supplied a clue as to why the images were so haunting. He went on to explain that they were part of a collection of 2,500 pictures seized at Auschwitz following the Allied liberation of that infamous camp. The pictures, in the possession of the Auschwitz Museum, were on loan to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and that museum had contracted his company to transfer the images to CD-ROM, a service which is his company’s specialty.

Images on CD-ROM
“We provide image database software to accompany the pictures we transfer to CD-ROM,” he explained. “This way people can identify every aspect of each photo, including when the picture was taken, where it was taken, why it was taken, and who the people are in each picture. This allows numerous pictures to be stored in a format that is easy to use. As with any database, a person can sort the pictures or search for any pictures meeting certain criteria, such as those taken in a specific place or those of a particular person.”

He went on to tell how the Holocaust Museum was using CD Memories, as the product is named, to identify the people and places shown in the pictures. The pictures would then definitely have incomparable value. Individuals in the pictures, once identified, might prove to be ancestors, relatives, or friends of those who had survived the Holocaust. Also, the people in the photos would not be forgotten.

“What a wonderful tribute to someone who had suffered such cruel treatment,” Terry said.

“These pictures on CD-ROM will be on display at various conventions of Holocaust survivors throughout the world,” Mr. Murray continued. “Attendees will be asked to look at the photos and see if they recognize either people or locales. Any information will be recorded on worksheets until it can be verified. At that point the data can be entered into the database. The intent is to create an exhibit that can circulate among the many Holocaust museums in the United States and elsewhere.”

A Photo Archive
After talking with Roger Murray for about twenty minutes, we realized the potential his service had for genealogists, as well as historical societies, museums, and libraries. With the current technology, approximately 650 pictures can be transferred to CD-ROM, and each picture can be fully identified. These pictures can be shared electronically, utilized in most existing top-of-the-line genealogical software, and duplicated to be shared with other family members. The potential is limited only by the imagination of the user. In the very near future, DVD technology (already being advertised by some companies) will allow the number of images stored on one CD to reach 2,500. Individuals or organizations, using a PC with Windows and a CD-ROM drive, could catalog large collections of pictures and documents and have them available at a touch of the keyboard.

As we neared the end of our conversation with Roger Murray, Terry, always the practical one, asked, “How much does this cost?”

“One dollar per image for the transfer, ten dollars for the initial CD-ROM disk, and the cost of shipping your pictures to our lab. Obviously, we encourage customers to use a service with tracking capability, as we do when we return the pictures to them,” Roger answered.

“What about the software-how much does that cost?” I asked, already calculating what it might cost to have a couple of hundred pictures transferred to CD.

“The software is included as part of the service,” Roger said.

Terry, knowing my inclination to charge ahead, asked, “How many pictures are required for an order?”

“Fifty images are the minimum,” Roger replied, smiling. He obviously had heard this question before. “And others can be added in the future.”

By this time other people had gathered around the Cinevision display, and we felt obligated to move on. As we walked away, we could not help but cast a glance back at those haunting images. These people were ancestors and relatives of people who might not even be aware of existing pictures of their lost loved ones. How pleasant it was to imagine the joy a person might feel to discover an image of someone who had been considered lost for all eternity. We know technology is a good thing, but a product like this just reinforces how wonderful it really can be.

Terry and Jim Willard hosted the ten-part PBS series Ancestors. They have researched their genealogy fifteen generations back on both sides.