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Final Thesis UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER Narrative, Object, Witness: The Story of the Holocaust as Told by the Imperial War Museum, London Emily-Jayne Stiles Doctor of Philosophy May 2016 This Thesis has been completed as a requirement for a postgraduate research degree of the University of Winchester Declaration No portion of the work referred to in the Thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university of institute of learning. I confirm that this Thesis is entirely my own work. Copyright © 2016 Emily-Jayne Stiles This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. Copies (by any process) either in full, or of extracts, may be made only in accordance with instructions given by the author. Details may be obtained from the RKE Centre, University of Winchester. This page must form part of any such copies made. Further copies (by any process) of copies made in accordance with such instructions may not be made without the permission (in writing) of the author. No profit may be made from selling, copying or licensing the author’s work without further agreement. 1 Acknowledgements The research presented within this thesis is indebted to a number of people who have offered practical, emotional and academic support and advice throughout the process. Firstly I acknowledge the recent passing of Professor David Cesarani, whose tireless efforts in dislodging the Holocaust from the confines of academia have provided both source and inspiration for this study on public engagement with Holocaust narratives in Britain. Holocaust studies in Britain as a whole owes much to Cesarani, and this thesis especially. Secondly I extend thanks to my supervisory team who have all, in their different ways, provided invaluable feedback and discussion throughout the PhD programme. To Tom Lawson, as my original director of studies, I am grateful for the time, effort, patience and perseverance invested in seeing this project to completion. I have not always been the easiest of research students (when opting to vacuum rather than research!), however your commitment to seeing the project through has been a driving force. To Emiliano Perra, I will be forever grateful of your willingness to accept a PhD project mid-way through, and one that initially lacked focus or direction. Your lack of time for my excuses is refreshing, and is undoubtedly the reason I have a completed thesis to submit. Your support and encouragement have been vital for ensuring I survive both academically and emotionally. I feel privileged to call you both an advisor and a friend; someone who instinctively knows when to push me and when to step back. To Ruth Gilbert, for providing balance when I feared the discipline of history. As a second advisor to the project, your input has been essential for shaping a thesis more suited to my own perspective. Finally to Chris Aldous, who entered the supervisory team late yet offered immediate enthusiasm for the project. Our conversations have motivated me both in terms of research and in becoming a more active member of the Winchester University community. For those offering direct assistance with the research, I am extremely grateful of your time and resources. To Suzanne Bardgett I am grateful of time and patience throughout a long research period. Without the IWM archive this thesis could not exist, so I am grateful to Suzanne and the team there for facilitating the research. To Steve Paulsson and Bob Baxter I am grateful of your time and assistance with my research, also for the materials provided to make my job a little easier! To Michael von Cranach, I thank you for assistance with research relating to Kaufbeuren-Irsee, which has greatly enriched the final thesis. To Laurence Rees for your input and knowledge on Holocaust documentary films. Acknowledgement must also be made of the wider community of Holocaust scholars who have, at various stages and to various degrees, offered help and input or have simply asked 'how is it going?'. I cannot overstate the value of such a question as it reassures lone researchers they are part of something bigger, and that people really do care what you have to say! To name just a few, James Jordan has offered much advice, both informally and as my upgrade examiner. Steven Cooke, on a visit to Winchester University, took the time to meet with me and discuss my project, this was exceptionally helpful. Marie Morgan has openly discussed Holocaust education and philosophical approaches with me, which helped immeasurably in gaining balance in the thesis. PhD research can be isolating and lonely, however I have had the fortune of collecting lifelong friends along the way. Lia Deromedi, you have always inspired me to work harder, you are, in every sense, an academic rock star! Fellow Team Winch members, Mark Hobbs and Kara Critchell, I have relied heavily on our local network of Holocaust postgrads; but largely I have relied on the wine- fuelled conversations for my own sanity! To Kara I am eternally grateful for motivating me at a time when giving up seemed like the only option. Your complete faith in me means more than you will ever know and without you this thesis would not exist: go Team Holocaust! My parents, Jayne and Michael, despite their constant reminders that a real world awaits, have always supported my thirst for knowledge. In practical terms this research could not have been undertaken without them, but also without their emotional support and encouragement I could not have continued. My final words go to Pete and Jamie, my world, who remind me every day of why we strive to be better human beings. 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER ABSTRACT FOR THESIS FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Doctor of Philosophy Narrative, Object, Witness: The Story of the Holocaust as Told by the Imperial War Museum, London Emily Stiles May 2016 On June 7, 2000, the Holocaust’s position as an official part of British history and memory became solidified with the opening of a permanent Holocaust exhibition within London’s Imperial War Museum. This important national museum embodies Britain's cultural memory of war, of which the Holocaust has become a central part. Situated within debates of museology and memory, this thesis offers a compelling case study on the performative role of the museum in the construction of an official Holocaust memory within Britain and its relationship to national identity. While the Holocaust has become a ‘moral touchstone’ of contemporary society it seems urgent we raise questions of not only why we remember the Holocaust, but what, exactly, it is we are remembering. The oft cited dictum to 'never forget' requires remembrance of the Holocaust to serve a purpose; so that events of Nazi Europe may never be repeated. This ambition has proven hollow, yet countries invest millions of pounds in official Holocaust remembrance, commemoration and education. What purpose does the Holocaust serve in twenty-first century Britain? Questions of Holocaust narrative, material culture and testimony dominate the study, underpinned through wider concepts of history, memory, identity and museology in a British context. Using the Imperial War Museum as a case study, this thesis presents a challenge to the place of the Holocaust within British memory of war and questions how this limiting framework affects the way the Holocaust is remembered and understood throughout British society more broadly. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of the Holocaust exhibition and its display. A history of the exhibition provides detail on how and why the Holocaust became a central theme for the Imperial War Museum, while a study of the photographic, object and testimony displays in each dedicated chapter draws conclusions on how the Holocaust is shaped within this specific context. The relationship between the exhibition displays and Holocaust education more broadly throughout Britain is explored in detail in the final chapter of the thesis. Beyond the Imperial War Museum, this study points towards the future of Holocaust memory in Britain with an aim to highlight a limited understanding of the wider context of Britain and the Holocaust within popular narratives. How Britain connects to Holocaust history and memory remains central to this research, but it also considers how Britain could connect in more meaningful ways beyond learning the 'lessons' of the Holocaust. 3 Contents List of Illustrations.....................................................................................................5 Abbreviations.............................................................................................................6 Introduction Narrative, Object, Witness: Constructing Memory and Identity in the National Museum.............................................................................................7 Chapter One Establishing a Permanent National Holocaust Museum in Britain................................................................................................................................38 Chapter Two The Holocaust in Pictures: Photographs, Narrative, Memory and Identity in the Museum....................................................................................60 Chapter Three The Holocaust Through Objects: Narrative, Biography and Memory in the Museum........................................................................................................91
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