Remembering Else Rosenfeld on Holocaust Memorial Day

The story of Else Rosenfeld, recorded by Charles Parker in 1963, is remembered today by Archives and Collections at the Library of Birmingham in their blog post I Chose Where To Stand: The Life of Else Rosenfeld. They are prompted by the ‘Don’t Stand By’ theme of Holocaust Memorial Day, reminding us that the Holocaust and later genocides occurred as a result of local populations either actively supporting and taking part in government persecution or remaining silent, whether through fear or indifference, and allowing persecution to take hold and grow.

The story of Else’s life was broadcast in 23 episodes on Midland BBC in 1963, and it was also published in 1964 as ‘The Four Lives of Elsbeth Rosenfeld as told by her to the BBC’ (MS 4000/4). The recordings (MS 4000/6/1/30), draft and final scripts for the programme, together with the production papers (MS 4000/2/93), and the book (pictured left) are available by appointment in the searchroom as part of the Charles Parker Archive (MS 4000).