In this lecture, Professor Schüler-Springorum explores the role of survivor testimonies in the narrative of the Holocaust. She traces the figure of the survivor “Witness” through almost 70 years, starting with the burning urge to “bear witness” while mass¬-murder was taking place, to the present day, and the ubiquitous presence of the “Witness” in museums, memorial sites and on our television screens. Schüler-Springorum will also discuss the potential of witness testimonies as well as their shortcomings in the making of historical knowledge and understanding.
Professor Schüler-Springorum is the Director of the Center for Research on Antisemitism at the Technical University of Berlin. Her specialist areas include German and German-Jewish history of the 19th and 20th century, gender history and the history of Spain in the 20th century.