The Wiener Holocaust Library, one of the most extensive collections of archives from the era, has appointed female co-directors for the first time in its nearly 100-year history.
Dr Christine Schmidt and Dr Barbara Warnock will be taking the helm, following the departure of Dr Toby Simpson last autumn.
Schmidt and Warnock boast a combined experience of 23 years at the institution, with Schmidt being promoted to deputy director and head of research in 2015, and Warnock leading key public programmes as senior curator and head of education from 2019 onwards.
“Christine and Barbara bring a wealth of valuable experience to their new roles and are worthy successors to lead the Library through its next exciting phase,” said Wiener Library chair Daniel Peltz OBE. “I’m looking forward to working closely with them and seeing the Wiener Holocaust Library expand its offering creatively and deliver its vital mission with renewed purpose and energy.”
While this is the first instance of women taking the top job at the library, its archive has long benefited from the efforts of female researchers, such as Ilse Wolff, who fled persecution before working as chief librarian between 1940 and 1966, and the library’s first director of research, Eva Reichmann, who authored a book on Nazi antisemitism before recording eyewitness accounts.
Schmidt herself is currently composing a book on Reichmann’s research. Commenting on her appointment, she said: “I am excited, thrilled and honoured to be taking up the role of co-director permanently at this important time in the library’s history. We look forward to working together and with our talented staff and generous supporters to secure our work with our partners for the future.”
Warnock expressed similar enthusiasm, saying: “I’m honoured to take on the role of co-director after a hugely rewarding ten years, seeing first-hand the impact our collections have on students, teachers, researchers, and the wider public. I’m looking forward to working with our dedicated staff and partners to build on this remarkable institution’s legacy.”
The directorship changeover arrives ahead of a significant new phase for the leading Holocaust archive, which includes substantial expansion of the library’s public programmes, continued digital transformation of its collections, and plans to strengthen the institution’s position as the UK’s Holocaust archive of record.
A spokesperson for the Wiener said: “This appointment comes at a significant time for the library, and for Holocaust education and commemoration in the UK, when access to truthful information about and evidence from the Nazi era could not be more valuable.”
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