On January 27th, 2024, Holocaust Centre North will observe Holocaust Memorial Day, commemorating 79 years since the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps.
Survivors and their families have subsequently bravely told their stories and shared their experiences to ensure that these atrocities are never forgotten.
To ensure this history is not forgotten and educates future generations, the Holocaust Centre North at the University of Huddersfield is on a continued search for new material for its living archive and are keen to hear from the public if they or a family member has a bundle of foreign language documents, some family photographs, a treasured object, or homemade recording… Each item, no matter the size, contributes a unique voice to this powerful historical narrative.
Even a single letter or a small photograph can reveal a chapter of history yet untold.
The centre is trying to reach areas which are not currently represented greatly in our collection and Greater Manchester is one such area…
Based at the University of Huddersfield, the Holocaust Centre North tells the global history of the Holocaust through local stories from survivors and refugees who built new lives in the North of England.
This growing and living archive is central to the centre’s permanent exhibition and delivery of public engagement and learning.
The Centre recently won a coveted KAVS Award in recognition of the tremendous work its volunteers – many of whom are survivors and their descendants – carry out in keeping the story of the Holocaust alive to new audiences.
The materials sought by the Holocaust Centre North are vital from an historical and educational point of view. These items, be they tangible or digitised, serve as poignant reminders of resilience and history, forming an essential part of the educational resources at the Centre.
It is critical the Centre safeguards these records now because as the number of first-generation Holocaust survivors diminishes, some of these precious records are in danger of being lost.
Without these records, testimonies and archives they will lose the individual, unique stories which enrich an understanding of pre-war Jewish life, the Holocaust, and the post-war lives of survivors and refugees and their families.
The Centre also loses the opportunity to educate the next generation of school children and the public about this vital history and its current consequences.
Holocaust Centre North is particularly interested in collecting:
· Material up to the 1940s
· Records which tell the story of survivors and refugees post-war, for example naturalisation or compensation papers
· Original documents, e.g., passports, certificates, ID documents
· Correspondence, such as letters and postcards
· Photographs
· Objects – the toys, household items and mementoes on display really help bring the history to life for younger audiences
If you are looking for a suitable permanent home for your collection and/or would allow the Centre temporary access to carefully digitise it, or just want to have a chat and find out more, then please contact the Centre via helc@hud.ac.uk or 01484 471939.
You can also contact Head of Collections, Dr Tracy Craggs t.craggs@hud.ac.uk
Or our Archivist, Hari Jonkers h.jonkers@hud.ac.uk
