Eva Reichmann Lecture
On 6 November 2025, the first Eva Reichmann Lecture took place at the Wiener Holocaust Library in London. The event, organised by the Leo Baeck Institute London and the Wiener Holocaust Library and supported by the Finkelstein Foundation, was dedicated to the life, work, and legacy of historian and sociologist Dr. Eva Reichmann.
The lecture highlighted Reichmann’s central role in the early field of Holocaust research. As a historian, sociologist, and survivor of Nazi persecution, she was among the first to systematically collect the testimonies of survivors after 1945, laying important foundations for future scholarly engagement with the Holocaust. Her work continues to shape contemporary understandings of antisemitism, witness accounts, and cultures of remembrance.
An international panel discussion brought together Dr Christine Schmidt (Wiener Holocaust Library), Dr Bea Lewkowicz (Association of Jewish Refugees), and Prof Natalia Aleksiun (University of Florida).
They examined Reichmann’s contributions to documenting the Holocaust, discussing the significance of survivor testimony, the challenges of historical preservation, and the relevance of her approach in a time marked by increasing historical distortion.
This inaugural lecture marks the beginning of a new event series dedicated to honouring Reichmann’s scholarly contribution. A second Eva Reichmann Lecture is already planned for 2026.
