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Ms. Kerstin Schwenke

2014 Institute for Contemporary History/Center for Holocaust Studies (Munich/Berlin) – Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies Exchange Scholar
"Visits to the Nazi Concentration Camps: Places, Phases, Motives, Effects, Meaning"

Professional Background

Kerstin Schwenke is a PhD candidate in Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Munich (Germany).  She is a native German speaker and possesses skills in English, Spanish, French, and Latin.  While in residence at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, Ms. Schwenke conducted research on her project “Visits to the Nazi Concentration Camps / Places – Phases – Motives – Effects – Meaning.”

Ms. Schwenke authored the monograph Dachauer Gedenkorte zwischen Vergessen und Erinnern – Die Massengräber am Leitenberg und der ehemalige SS-Schießplatz bei Hebertshausen nach 1945 (2012) and the article "Bildungsarbeit am NS-Dokumentationszentum München: Das Seminarkonzept ,Weil wir Sinti sind …” (2014).  Ms. Schwenke has given several conference presentations, including: “Weil wir Sinti sind…” – Ein biografisches Seminar zu Hugo Höllenreiner Conference “Marginalisierte Häftlingsgruppen in der historischen Bildungsarbeit zum Nationalsozialismus" – Einblicke in Theorie und Praxis at Max Mannheimer Studienzentrum, Dachau in November 2013 and Besuche in den nationalsozialistischen Konzentrationslagern – Orte – Phasen – Motive – Wirkung – Bedeutung Conference and Doktorandenseminar des Fritz Bauer Instituts zur Geschichte und Wirkung des Holocaust held in Frankfurt in September 2013.

Fellowship Research

For her 2014 Institute for Contemporary History/Center for Holocaust Studies (Munich/Berlin) – Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies Exchange Scholarship, Ms. Schwenke used the Josef Kohout / Wilhelm Kröpfl papers in conjunction with oral histories to examine the motivations behind and implications of outside visits to concentration camps during the Holocaust.

Ms. Kerstin Schwenke was in residence at the Mandel Center from August 1 to November 30, 2014.

Funding for the German recipient of the 2014 Center for Holocaust Studies at the Institute of Contemporary History/Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies Exchange of Scholars Program has been made possible by the Curt C. and Else Silberman Foundation.