The German-Jewish Archives at The Keep are part of the University of Sussex Special Collections, Brighton. It is a university archive in partnership with the East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Record Office, and holds collections relating to German-Jewish history in Britain.

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. There is a focus on the history of Jewish refugees and their families to the United Kingdom during and after the Second World War. The collections are part of the University of Sussex Special Collections at The Keep.

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 archive 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. This must be done before your visit, and booking in and ordering materials must be done at least two days in advance.

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. A number of items from the collection have been digitised and are available on the German Jewish Family Archives website.

Street Address

University of Sussex Special Collection
The Keep
Woollards Way
Brighton BN1 9BP