Scholar to talk about earliest oral histories of Holocaust survivors

January 18, 2013

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Noted Holocaust scholar Alan Rosen will present a program Feb. 12 at the University of Florida about his research on some of the earliest oral history interviews conducted with Holocaust survivors.

The importance of these interviews, which were recorded by David Boder in the years immediately following World War II, is detailed in Rosen’s book, “The Evidence of Trauma: David Boder and Writing the History of Holocaust Testimony.”

The program starts at 7 p.m. in Pugh Hall. This event will also include a book signing and a reception. Free parking provided.

Rosen earned his doctorate in literature and religion at Boston University, where he studied under renowned Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel. He has taught Holocaust literature at universities in the United States and Israel, and Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies in Jerusalem.

Rosen is the author of two monographs, “Sounds of Defiance: The Holocaust, Multilingualism, and the Problem of English” and “Dislocating the End: Climax, Closure, and the Invention of Genre.”

From 2004 to 2005, Rosen was the Ruth Meltzer Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Pennsylvania. He has published more than a dozen essays on the Holocaust in literature, and is the recipient of numerous scholarly awards for his work, including from Bar-Ilan
University and the National Center for Genocide Studies.

Rosen will also be the featured guest of WUFT-FM’s live call-in radio program “Conner Calling” between 1 and 2 p.m. Feb. 8. The program’s number is 352-392-8989. Questions may also be emailed to the studio at fmcallin@wuft.org.

This public history program is sponsored by the University of Florida Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, Hillel, the department of history, UF Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research, the Jewish Council of North Central Florida and Congregation B’nai Israel

For more information about the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, call 352-392-7168 or visit its website at http://oral.history.ufl.edu/.