Quick tip – Records that just became public

To protect the privacy of living people and the security of our nation, access to many records is restricted for a number of years; typically 25, 50, 75 or 100 years. Every year, new records become public for the first time.

As of 1 January 2015, the following records became public:

• Birth records from 1914
• Marriage records from 1939
• Death records from 1964

This does not mean that all the records will immediately be scanned and put online, just that you can access them at the archives for free. The Zeeuws Archief however, is always very quick and has already added all the new public records to their Zeeuwen Gezocht website.

Prelude to World War II and the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Government records that are now public deal with a range of topics, including:

• The fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
• The introduction of Free Public Transportation for students (1989)
• Correspondence between King Leopold of Belgium and Queen Wilhelmina about the German invasion of Poland (1939)

These records can be consulted in the reading room of the Nationaal Archief, the National Archives of the Netherlands, as of 6 January 2015.