Problems of Research in Yad Vashem Studies, Volume I

Problems Confronting Yad Vashem in its Work of Research

Defining and delimiting its objectives is the initial problem confronting Yad Vashem Studies in keeping with the general purpose of the Memorial Authority —Yad Vashem Act, passed by many Israeli committees and finally by the Knesset. It enumerates four categories of activities: 1. collection of testimony from Nazi documentation, Jewish reports, and material from the archives of other countries; 2. research; 3. publication; 4. inculcation of the lessons to be learned from this testimony. Research should be pursued in a special institute headed by a professor of modern Jewish history in close collaboration with the Hebrew University. “The Final Solution” is an outstanding example of a subject for extensive research including the history and events leading to its adoption. Publication of collected materials and documents must be comprehensive and lessons to be learned should be extracted and used for preventative and educational purposes.