1 verified, source-linked AI implementation documented in 2026.
Die Zeit built a public, searchable database of NSDAP (Nazi Party) membership records by using AI to OCR millions of scanned membership cards released by the US National Archives. The data science/AI desk processed 5,442 PDFs (~3,000 pages each), combining several OCR systems and leaning heavily on Google's Gemini LLM to read mixed fonts and old German handwriting scripts (Kurrent, Sütterlin). Covers roughly 90% of ~10.2 million memberships (1925–1945). The data/visualisation desk built the search interface and scrollytelling; Science and History desks supplied archival context; the team also analysed joining patterns over two decades.
Die Zeit is one of 55 organizations in Germany documented in the index, which holds 93 cases from the country. Its work spans 1 function type, including Research & Investigation, documented across 131 organizations worldwide.