German-Jewish Archives at University of Sussex

The German-Jewish Archives are part of the University of Sussex Heritage Collections.

Archive Description

The establishment of the Centre for German-Jewish Studies at the University of Sussex in 1994 has attracted the deposit of various collections that show the study of political, social, literary and intellectual German-Jewish history. The Centre is part of the Sussex Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies. There is a focus on the history of Jewish refugees and their families to the United Kingdom during and after the Second World War.

Many of the collections were donated by families who came to the UK as refugees from Nazi persecution. They brought with them documents which show Jewish life before Hitler came to power. These archival materials show a broad range of Jewish identities. While most families considered themselves assimilated by the 1930s, the material also reveals traces of antisemitism and Jewish segregation.

Access Information

The archive is open to the public and can be accessed in the reading room at The Keep. Opening hours are available on The Keep website, and two forms of identification must be brought to the archive. The Keep also requires users to fill out an online registration process which can be found here. It is advisable to book a seat in the reading room and order documents to view in advance of your visit

Enquiries can be made to: library.specialcoll@sussex.ac.uk.

Digital Accessibility

Collection level descriptions of the German-Jewish archive are available on the Keep’s website. Some items from the German-Jewish collections are available via JSTOR

Street Address

University of Sussex Heritage Collections
The Keep
Woollards Way
Brighton BN1 9BP

https://www.thekeep.info/