THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

Their core work

The Wiener Holocaust Library is one of the world's oldest Holocaust archives, founded in 1933, holding extensive collections of documents, testimonies, photographs, and published works related to the Holocaust and genocide. Within H2020, they contribute archival expertise and digitized collections to the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI), helping build a distributed digital research platform that connects dispersed Holocaust sources across Europe. Their role centers on making primary source material accessible to researchers through digital tools and integrated catalogues. They serve as a content-providing partner within large-scale research infrastructure consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

The Wiener Holocaust Library's H2020 involvement shows deepening commitment to a single long-term infrastructure rather than diversification. They joined EHRI in 2015 during its consolidation phase, continued through the Preparatory Phase (EHRI-PP) aimed at securing ERIC legal status, and remain active in EHRI-3 running through 2025. The trajectory reflects a shift from contributing collections to an established network toward helping build a permanent, legally recognized European research infrastructure.

They are moving toward becoming a founding member of a permanent European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) for Holocaust studies, suggesting long-term institutional commitment beyond project-based funding.

How they like to work

The Wiener Holocaust Library operates exclusively as a participant, never leading consortia — consistent with their role as a specialized archive contributing content and expertise rather than managing large-scale technical projects. Their 26 partners across 18 countries reflect the broad, pan-European nature of EHRI rather than independent network-building. They are a loyal, mission-driven partner, returning to the same consortium across three successive project phases.

Connected to 26 partners across 18 countries through the EHRI consortium, which includes major Holocaust memorial institutions, national archives, and universities across Europe and Israel. Their network is deep but narrow — built entirely through one infrastructure initiative.

What sets them apart

The Wiener Holocaust Library is one of very few independent archives worldwide that has maintained continuous Holocaust documentation since before World War II, giving it unmatched historical depth. As a London-based institution in a predominantly continental European consortium, it provides crucial UK-held collections that would otherwise be disconnected from the EHRI network. For consortium builders in digital humanities or memory studies, they bring both irreplaceable content and proven reliability as a long-term infrastructure partner.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EHRI
  The flagship project that established the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure, with the Library's largest single EC contribution of EUR 196,625.
• EHRI-PP
  Preparatory Phase project working toward permanent ERIC status — signals the transition from project-based to institutionalized infrastructure.