Ilya Altman
Encyclopedia
Ilya Alexandrovich Altman (*1955) is a Russian historian
and (next to Alla Gerber
) founder and co-chairman of the Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center
in Moscow
. He is also author of over 300 publications on the history of the Holocaust and the Eastern Front (World War II)
, many of which have been published in the U.S., Israel
and Western Europe
.
, where he worked as a lecturer between 1988 and 1993. In 1983 he received his doctorate from the Russian Academy of Sciences
. Subsequently, he became Deputy Director of the National Archives in Vladimir and executive officer of the State Archives of the USSR. In 1992 he co-founded with Mikhail Gefter the first Holocaust research center
in Russia. Ilya Altman is a frequent speaker at leading universities in the U.S., France
and Germany
.
Ilya Altman and his colleagues at the Holocaust Center
are largely responsible for introducing Holocaust curricula in Russian schools, both Jewish and non-Jewish, with the endorsement of the Russian government. He and his center also published Russian language teaching aids on the Holocaust, a volume for teachers, “History of the Holocaust in the USSR 1941-1945,” and a book for pupils, “History of the Holocaust, 1933-1945”.
Ilya Altman early emphasized the importance of training teachers for Holocaust educational programs and established a pedagogic unit for this purpose within his center. He participated actively in the seminars sponsored by the Association of Jewish Schools and Principals in the CIS, which the Memorial Foundation created after Glasnost, for its more than 40 constituent members. He also organized tens of educational seminars in the CIS
with other bodies, working and receiving support from Yad Vashem
, the Jewish Agency, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
and other groups. His foundation was also instrumental in creating a Holocaust museum in Moscow
.
Furthermore, Ilya Altman is member of the International Council of the Austrian Service Abroad
.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and (next to Alla Gerber
Alla Gerber
Alla Efremovna Gerber is a Russian politician, journalist and film critic.- Life :In 1955 Alla Gerber graduated from the faculty of law of the Moscow State University. In the following years she worked as a lawyer and a journalist...
) founder and co-chairman of the Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center
Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center
The Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center was founded in 1992 in Moscow and has since then been working on awareness raising of the Holocaust in the Russian society...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. He is also author of over 300 publications on the history of the Holocaust and the Eastern Front (World War II)
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, many of which have been published in the U.S., Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
.
Life and work
Altman is a graduate of Russian State University for the HumanitiesRussian State University for the Humanities
The Russian State University for the Humanities , is a university in Moscow, Russia with over 5500 students. It was created in 1991 as the result of the merger of the Moscow Public University and the Moscow State Institute for History and Archives The Russian State University for the Humanities...
, where he worked as a lecturer between 1988 and 1993. In 1983 he received his doctorate from the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
. Subsequently, he became Deputy Director of the National Archives in Vladimir and executive officer of the State Archives of the USSR. In 1992 he co-founded with Mikhail Gefter the first Holocaust research center
Holocaust research
Holocaust research is a scholarly discipline that encompasses the historical research and study of the Holocaust.Among the research institutions and academic programmes specializing in Holocaust research are the International Institute for Holocaust Research at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Israel, the...
in Russia. Ilya Altman is a frequent speaker at leading universities in the U.S., France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Ilya Altman and his colleagues at the Holocaust Center
Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center
The Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center was founded in 1992 in Moscow and has since then been working on awareness raising of the Holocaust in the Russian society...
are largely responsible for introducing Holocaust curricula in Russian schools, both Jewish and non-Jewish, with the endorsement of the Russian government. He and his center also published Russian language teaching aids on the Holocaust, a volume for teachers, “History of the Holocaust in the USSR 1941-1945,” and a book for pupils, “History of the Holocaust, 1933-1945”.
Ilya Altman early emphasized the importance of training teachers for Holocaust educational programs and established a pedagogic unit for this purpose within his center. He participated actively in the seminars sponsored by the Association of Jewish Schools and Principals in the CIS, which the Memorial Foundation created after Glasnost, for its more than 40 constituent members. He also organized tens of educational seminars in the CIS
CIS
CIS usually refers to the Commonwealth of Independent States, a modern political entity consisting of eleven former Soviet Union republics.The acronym CIS may also refer to:-Organizations:...
with other bodies, working and receiving support from Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
, the Jewish Agency, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is a worldwide Jewish relief organization headquartered in New York. It was established in 1914 and is active in more than 70 countries....
and other groups. His foundation was also instrumental in creating a Holocaust museum in Moscow
Holocaust Memorial Synagogue (Moscow)
The Holocaust Memorial Synagogue is a synagogue located on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow. It was built in 1998 to complement an Orthodox church and a mosque that are also part of the outdoor museum dedicated to Russia's victory in World War II.-History:...
.
Furthermore, Ilya Altman is member of the International Council of the Austrian Service Abroad
Austrian Service Abroad
Austrian Service Abroad is a non-profit initiative and was founded in 1998 by Andreas Maislinger and Andreas Hörtnagl. Since 2001 Michael Prochazka is part of the managing committee.-General Information:...
.
Selected publications
- Victims of Hate: The Holocaust in the Soviet Union 1941-1945, Moscow, 2002 (English)
- The Unknown Black Book: The Holocaust in the German-occupied Soviet Territories; 2008 (English)
- The Holocaust in the Soviet territories; Moscow and Jerusalem 2009 (Russian)
See also
- Russian Research and Educational Holocaust CenterRussian Research and Educational Holocaust CenterThe Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center was founded in 1992 in Moscow and has since then been working on awareness raising of the Holocaust in the Russian society...
- Holocaust researchHolocaust researchHolocaust research is a scholarly discipline that encompasses the historical research and study of the Holocaust.Among the research institutions and academic programmes specializing in Holocaust research are the International Institute for Holocaust Research at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Israel, the...
- The Holocaust in Russia
- The Holocaust in Ukraine
- History of the Jews in the Soviet UnionHistory of the Jews in the Soviet UnionThe history of the Jews in the Soviet Union is discussed in the following articles relating to specific regions of the former Soviet Union:*History of the Jews in Armenia*History of the Jews in Azerbaijan*History of the Jews in Belarus...
- Babi YarBabi YarBabi Yar is a ravine in the Ukrainian capital Kiev and a site of a series of massacres carried out by the Nazis during their campaign against the Soviet Union. The most notorious and the best documented of these massacres took place on September 29–30, 1941, wherein 33,771 Jews were killed in a...