Research
Second phase of Belsen project
In November 2001 Wyvern reported the start of a research project at
Essex aimed at tracing survivors, living in the UK, of the World War II
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
The project, undertaken by Dr Rainer Schulze of the Department of
History, has now entered its second phase which will concentrate on
international rescue attempts for Jews held at Belsen before the end of
World War II.
Here, Dr Schulze explains the progress of the first phase and what
the second will entail:
'The first phase of the project, which saw researchers across the world
tracing survivors of Belsen, has proved tremendously successful. The
response has been far greater than anticipated and in the UK that has
been, in part, due to coverage in University publications. I traced
approximately 30 survivors who currently live in the UK and were
previously unknown to the Gedenkstätte (Memorial at Belsen). Most were
Jewish and Polish prisoners but some were British military staff and
members of the voluntary relief units that liberated the camp. Some have
recorded video testimonies which we hope will be incorporated into the
planned memorial exhibition at the site.
'Whilst Belsen symbolises and exemplifies all the atrocities of Nazi
rule, it was in fact not the prototype of a Nazi concentration camp. When
it was established in 1943 it was set up to collect small groups of
European Jews who were to be kept ready for possible exchange against
German civilians interned abroad. Despite this function, it was upon
Himmler's specific instructions integrated into the system of
concentration camps and administered by the SS.
'More than 5,000 'exchange Jews' were held at Belsen. In addition,
approximately 2,500 Jews from Poland who had provisional papers from Latin
American states were imprisoned there, along with another 1,700 Hungarian
Jews - altogether some 9,000 Jews that could have been rescued. However,
of these, only the Hungarians and 424 of the 'exchange Jews' were rescued
before the end of the war, which means they were exchanged against Germans
held abroad. Also held at Belsen were about 700 Jews who were citizens of
neutral countries or countries allied to Germany. Of these 365 Spanish
Jews, 105 Turkish and 19 of Portuguese origin were rescued thanks to a
'repatriation' programme set up by the German Foreign Office.
'Although the project to find Belsen survivors in the UK will continue,
I will now be studying these rescue attempts and the problems that
obstructed or delayed the exchanges and 'repatriation.' I am currently
organising an international workshop, to be held in Germany, which marks
the beginning of this specific project. Experts from across the world will
come together to take stock of the research already completed, identify
work that still needs to be done, and develop an efficient and concise
research strategy to take the project forward. It is a very exciting phase
which will help us conceive the most appropriate memorial and exhibition
for the site of the camp.'
Funding for human rights research
The Human Rights Centre has been awarded a total of
£161,327 to fund two major research projects.
Dr Todd Landman, Deputy Director of the Centre, has received separate
funding from the European Commission and the Foreign Ministry of the
Netherlands for the two projects.
The first project will be carried out jointly with consultants from
Rights and Humanity, a human rights non-governmental organisation based in
Suffolk. It aims to map the main international initiatives in developing
indicators for democracy, good governance and human rights. Developing
measures and indicators for these factors allows for monitoring
developments in the world and helps governments, and inter-governmental
organisations such as the United Nations, to formulate appropriate
policies.
The second project is an impact assessment and performance evaluation
of nine human rights non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in receipt of
Dutch funding for the period 1997 to 2001. The project is an audit of the
NGOs' work, to assess the degree to which they achieve their stated aims
and objectives.
Also in the printed February edition of Wyvern:
- Asymmetric price research
- Worldwide computers speed search for smallpox drugs
