The Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum supports scholarship in the field of Holocaust studies; promotes the growth of Holocaust studies at American universities and the development of strong relationships between American and foreign scholars of the Holocaust; and seeks to ensure the ongoing training of future generations of scholars specializing in the Holocaust.

The Center is accepting applications for graduate student summer research assistant fellowships. Recipients will participate with the Center's staff scholars and program directors in one of three special projects. Summer 2006 recipients will:

1. Research sources and write entries for the second volume of Center's Encyclopedia of Camps, Ghettos and other Detention Sites in Nazi-Dominated Europe. In addition to English, fluency in at least one of the following languages is required: German, Polish, Russian, Yiddish, Hebrew, French, Italian, Hungarian.

2. Conduct research for the Center’s Archival Studies Publication Project on “Jewish Responses to Persecution,” by identifying, describing, and annotating primary and secondary source materials in the Museum’s archives and library for possible inclusion in the series. Fluency in Polish, Romanian, Yiddish, or other Holocaust-related European languages is required, as well as solid experience with computer databases.

3. Conduct library and internet-based research to identify archival sources worldwide that pertain to the history of German Jews, 1918-1953, and participate in the development of a database description of relevant archival collections, their degree of completeness as well as missing components of the archives of German Jewry during this period. In addition to English, fluency in German required; familiarity with archival research methods, internet-based research methods and database design are highly desirable.

In addition to their involvement in these research projects, awardees will participate in the broad range of scholarly and public education programs offered by the Museum during the summer months.

Each fellowship will last for three months during the May-August timeframe. Awardees will receive a stipend of $2,000/month. The Center will provide one roundtrip airline ticket to and from Washington, D.C. for travel within North America. Applicants must be currently enrolled in or admitted to a graduate degree program at a North American university. The Center is unable to provide visa assistance for non-U.S. citizens.

Application Procedure:
Applicants should submit a resume, a personal statement of no more than two pages in length, and one letter of recommendation from a faculty member or dean at his/her institution that speaks to the applicant’s qualifications for one of the projects listed above. The personal statement must specify the project for which you are applying and explain the significance of the requested fellowship to the applicant’s professional and/or academic goals. Application materials must be postmarked by March 17, 2006. All applicants will be notified of selection results by April 3, 2006.

Application materials should be sent to: Lisa Yavnai, Director, Visiting Scholar Programs, Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024. Inquiries may be addressed to Dorot@ushmm.org or via telephone at 202-314-7829.

The Graduate Student Summer Research Assistant Fellowship Program has been made possible through the generosity of the Dorot Foundation.