Holocaust Archaeology: Archaeological Approaches to Landscapes of Nazi Genocide and Persecution

Abstract

Debate concerning the events of the Holocaust is well embedded in the historical discourse and, thus, clearly defined narratives of this period exist. However, in most European countries the Holocaust has only recently begun to be considered in terms of its surviving archaeological remains and landscapes, and the majority of known sites are still ill-defined and only partially understood from both spatial structural points of view. Additionally, thousands of sites across Europe remain unmarked, whilst the locations of others have been forgotten altogether. Such a situation has arisen as a result of a number of political, social, ethical, and religious factors which, coupled with the scale of the crimes, has often inhibited systematic search. This paper details the subsequent development and application of a non-invasive archaeological methodology aimed at rectifying this situation and presents a case for the establishment of Holocaust archaeology as a sub-discipline of conflict studies. In particular, the importance of moving away from the notion that the presence of historical sources precludes the need for the collection of physical evidence is stressed, and the humanitarian, scientific, academic, and commemorative value of exploring this period is considered.

Keywords:

• Holocaust
• death camps
• Treblinka
• Halacha Law
• Holocaust landscapes project
• geophysical survey
• forensic archaeology
• mass graves

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Caroline Sturdy Colls

Caroline Sturdy Colls is a Lecturer in Forensic Investigation at Staffordshire University, teaching forensic archaeology, identification of human remains, and various aspects of crime scene investigation. She graduated from the University of Birmingham with a BA (Hons) Archaeology and Ancient History in 2007 and an MPhil (B) in Archaeological Practice in 2008 and has completed her PhD, entitled ‘Holocaust Archaeology: Archaeological Approaches to Landscapes of Nazi Genocide and Persecution’. In particular, she has developed a non-invasive methodology to allow the scientific, ethical, and religious aspects associated with studies of this period to be upheld. She is currently managing on-going research projects in Poland and Alderney, and is involved in a number of other collaborative projects with colleagues throughout Europe. She is a practising forensic archaeologist, undertaking consultancy for UK police forces on the search and recovery of buried remains. She has been applying forensic archaeological methods to the investigation of cold cases and socio-historic conflicts. She is co-author of a forthcoming book entitled Forensic Approaches to Buried Remains, and is the Treasurer of the Forensic Archaeology Special Interest Group, under the auspice of the Institute for Archaeologists.

Correspondence to: Dr. Caroline Sturdy Colls, Faculty of Sciences, Staffordshire University, Sciences Centre, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2DF, UK. Email: [email protected].