Call for Nominations: 2011 Seminar for Advanced Undergraduate, M.A., and Early Ph.D. Students

Introduction to Holocaust Studies through the Records of the International Tracing Service Collection at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies (CAHS) is pleased to invite nominations for the seminar Introduction to Holocaust Studies through the International Tracing Service (ITS) Collection at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, designed for advanced undergraduate, M.A., and early Ph.D. students. The seminar is scheduled for August 1-9, 2011 at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. This seminar is the fourth in a series designed to encourage the use of the recently opened archival holdings of the ITS. The objective of this seminar is to acquaint promising advanced undergraduate, M.A., and early Ph.D. students with Holocaust Studies through this rich and diverse collection’s records. Nominations are welcome for students in all relevant academic disciplines, including history, political science, literature, Jewish studies, psychology, sociology, geography, and others.

The records of the ITS relate to the fates of more than 17 million people who were subject to incarceration, forced labor, and displacement as a result of World War II. Digital copies of the archive are being transferred in their entirety to the Museum. Currently, the Museum holds digital copies of over 100 million pages of documents spanning the period of 1933 until the mid-1950s. These documents include: prewar and wartime prisoner arrest, incarceration, and transport records from German concentration camp and police authorities; prewar, wartime, and postwar records concerning foreign and forced labor in the German war economy, generated by the Nazi state, individual German firms, and postwar Allied occupation authorities; and postwar Allied records of individuals and families seeking Displaced Persons status and emigration.

During the seminar, staff scholars will highlight case studies in five key areas: (1) the Nazi concentration camp system; (2) non-Jewish victim groups; (3) forced labor in the German war economy; (4) Displaced Persons; and (5) war criminals. Participants will be assigned readings on these topics in advance of the seminar and will be expected to arrive prepared to discuss the readings as they relate to the case studies. Participants will also be given the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the Museum’s library and archival resources and to explore the ITS collection.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Advanced undergraduate, M.A., or early Ph.D. students (who have not yet reached ABD status) from all relevant academic disciplines enrolled at North American colleges and universities are invited to submit an application.

Applications must be submitted in English and include:

1. A Letter of Nomination from a faculty member in the nominee’s department that addresses the nominee’s potential as a scholar and specific interest, background, training, and qualifications (including previous coursework, projects, or publications)
2. A Letter of Intent from the Nominee discussing his/her interest in the field of the Holocaust and World War II, and how the ITS collection might further his/her studies in this area
3. A current curriculum vitae that includes a description of the candidate’s foreign language skills

Previous coursework and language study related to the Holocaust is helpful, but not required for participation in the seminar. Inquiries should be addressed to Dr. Eric C. Steinhart, Curt C. and Else Silberman International Tracing Service Research Scholar, Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2126; itsseminar2011@ushmm.org; 202.314.7814 (Telephone); 202.479.9726 (Fax). All application materials may be sent by mail, fax, or email attachment. Faculty nominators must submit signed letters of nomination on their institution’s letterhead under a separate cover. All application materials must be received by April 1, 2011. Selected participants will be notified by early May 2011.

For non-local participants, awards include (1) a stipend toward the cost of direct travel to and from each participant’s home institution and Washington, D.C.; (2) shared lodging for the seminar’s duration; and (3) $550 toward the cost of meals, local transit, luggage surcharges, and other incidental expenses, which will be distributed after the seminar’s conclusion via direct deposit. Local participants from the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area will receive a stipend of $250 for the two weeks.
Participants are required to attend the full duration of the seminar.