Holocaust and contemporary history researchprimary
3 projects
Core participant across all three EHRI phases (2015-2025), contributing domain expertise in Nazi-era and Holocaust documentation.
Organization
STIFTUNG ZUR WISSENSCHAFTLICHEN ERFORSCHUNG DER ZEITGESCHICHTE - INSTITUT FUR ZEITGESCHICHTE IFZ
German contemporary history institute contributing Holocaust expertise and archival holdings to Europe's leading Holocaust research infrastructure (EHRI).
Research institutesocietyDE
H2020 projects
3
As coordinator
0
Total EC funding
€1.2M
Unique partners
26
What they do
Their core work
The Institut für Zeitgeschichte (IFZ) is one of Germany's leading research institutes for contemporary history, with deep expertise in the history of National Socialism, the Holocaust, and postwar German society. Within H2020, IFZ contributes its archival holdings and historical expertise to the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI), helping to digitize, connect, and make accessible dispersed Holocaust-related documentation across Europe. Their role bridges archival science and digital humanities, making fragmented historical records findable and usable for researchers worldwide.
Core expertise
What they specialise in
Research infrastructure for digital archivesprimary
3 projects
All three projects are classified under Research Infrastructure, focused on building pan-European archival access systems.
Archival science and document digitizationsecondary
3 projects
EHRI's mission involves linking dispersed archives across countries, requiring expertise in cataloguing, metadata, and digital preservation.
Digital humanities and data integrationsecondary
2 projects
EHRI and EHRI-3 involve building interoperable digital tools for historians to query distributed collections.
Evolution & trajectory
How they've shifted over time
Early focus
Holocaust research infrastructure
Recent focus
Permanent infrastructure establishment
IFZ's H2020 involvement is remarkably consistent: all three projects are successive phases of the same European Holocaust Research Infrastructure. The progression from EHRI (building the infrastructure) to EHRI-PP (preparatory phase for permanent status) to EHRI-3 (consolidation) shows a clear trajectory from project-based research collaboration toward establishing a permanent European research infrastructure. This is not a pivot in expertise but a deepening institutional commitment to making EHRI a lasting ERIC-type facility.
IFZ is moving with EHRI from project-funded infrastructure toward permanent institutional status, suggesting long-term stability and growing influence in digital humanities infrastructure.
Collaboration profile
How they like to work
Role: specialist_contributorReach: European18 countries collaborated
IFZ participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with its role as a key content provider and domain expert within a large, distributed consortium. With 26 unique partners across 18 countries in just 3 projects, they operate in large multinational consortia typical of research infrastructure initiatives. This signals an organization comfortable working within complex international partnerships and contributing specialized expertise rather than managing project logistics.
IFZ has collaborated with 26 unique partners across 18 countries through the EHRI consortium, giving it a broad European network of archives, memorial institutions, and digital humanities centres. The geographic spread reflects EHRI's mission to connect Holocaust documentation scattered across the continent.
Why partner with them
What sets them apart
IFZ brings a rare combination: it is both a world-class contemporary history research institute and an active contributor to digital research infrastructure. For consortium builders in digital humanities, cultural heritage, or archival technology, IFZ offers authoritative historical content paired with experience in large-scale European infrastructure projects. Its decade-long continuity in EHRI demonstrates reliability as a long-term partner.
Notable projects
Highlights from their portfolio
- EHRIThe foundational phase of what is becoming a permanent European research infrastructure, with IFZ's largest single EU funding (EUR 485,269).
- EHRI-PPA Preparatory Phase project — a signal that EHRI is on track to become a formally recognized European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC).
- EHRI-3The most recent phase (running to 2025) demonstrates sustained EU investment and IFZ's continued relevance over a full decade of participation.
Cross-sector capabilities
Digital humanities and cultural heritage technologyResearch data infrastructure and FAIR data managementArchival digitization and metadata standardsEducation and public memory initiatives
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