United States Holocaust Memorial Museum presents ‘The Search For The Rosenberg Diary’ at Kehillat Israel

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum presents the fifth annual Linda and Tony Rubin Lecture, “Inside the Mind of a Nazi Perpetrator: The Search for the Rosenberg Diary” on Tuesday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Kehillat Israel in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Alfred Rosenberg's ideas, writings, and speeches became a formative part of Nazi ideology and the pursuit of “Lebensraum,” or living space, for the German people. After a relentless 17-year search for Rosenberg's diary, the Museum shares the significance of this latest acquisition to its permanent collection by taking individuals into the mind of a major Nazi ideologue, who was a close confidant of Adolf Hitler and instrumental in the "Final Solution.”

Featured speakers will include Juergen Matthaeus, Director, Applied Research Scholars, and Suzy Snyder, Curator for Art and Artifacts at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The lecture is presented in partnership with Kehillat Israel and is part of the Museum’s annual Los Angeles lecture series, generously supported by Linda and Tony Rubin.

On December 17, 2013, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) transferred the lost diary kept by Alfred Rosenberg to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. This historical document was seized by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in Wilmington, Del., following an extensive investigation.

The Museum’s senior advisor on archives, Henry Mayer, said he feels a sense of fulfillment after years of searching for the diary. “To have it in safe hands, that is a great victory,” he said. As part of the Museum’s collections, the diary is available for scholarship and can be viewed online at ushmm.org/rosenberg. While Museum scholars have yet to fully study its contents, Mayer said, “It does give details that one would never know about the politics within the top leadership of the Nazi party and the state.”

The Museum is in a race against time to rescue the evidence of the Holocaust—archives, documents, photographs, videos, and artifacts—to help better understand this history and to bring its lessons to future generations. Alfred Rosenberg’s diary is one such artifact with more than 400 pages of loose-leaf paper that covers the years 1936 through 1944, when Rosenberg was responsible for looting valuables in lands occupied by the Nazis and planning Nazi rule of conquered Soviet territories.

“The ‘Rosenberg diary’ is a significant addition to the Museum’s collection that will provide a rare look into the thoughts and actions of one of Adolf Hitler’s most trusted allies,” said Michael J. Sarid, Western Regional Director at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “With the diary now at the Museum, people from around the world can view it online, and guests at our lecture will gain firsthand insight into the beliefs and behaviors of those responsible for the Holocaust and what they mean for us today.”

The program is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. Individuals interested must register online by Friday, May 23 at www.ushmm.org/events/rubinlecture2014 or by contacting the Museum’s Western Regional Office at 310-556-3222 or western@ushmm.org.

Kehillat Israel is located at 16019 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.

Through its national campaign Never Again: What You Do Matters, led by honorary chair Elie Wiesel, the Museum seeks to make critical investments to keep Holocaust memory alive as a relevant, transformative force in the 21st century. The $540 million comprehensive goal includes building a stronger endowment, increased annual fund, and new Collections and Conservation Center. Visit www.ushmm.org/campaign to learn more about how you can join us in this urgent effort. 

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by generous donors.