The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Jeff and Toby Herr Oral History Archive is one of the largest and most diverse collections of Holocaust testimonies in the world. The Museum conducts its own interviews, and also actively collects testimonies produced by individuals and institutions such as libraries, archives, and local Holocaust research centers.
Individuals whose experiences are represented in the collection include Jews, Roma, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, political prisoners, and others who were targeted by the Nazis and their collaborators. The collection also contains testimonies from liberators, collaborators, witnesses, and rescuers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about conducting interviews, volunteering, and more.
Search the Interviews
The Museum’s entire oral history catalog is available through Collections Search. While many thousands of interviews can be viewed online, some are restricted and can only be viewed by visiting the Museum’s Library and Archives Reading Rooms, located on the Fifth Floor of the Museum building. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s in person research services are temporarily closed. Museum staff are still available to assist you with research questions. Email curator@ushmm.org.
Tell Us About a Potential Interviewee
The Museum continues to conduct interviews with individuals who experienced the Holocaust. If you or someone you know would like to be considered for an interview, please e-mail curator@ushmm.org.
Conduct an Interview
The Museum’s Oral History Interview Guidelines (PDF), last updated in 2007, is a unique reference guide to aid members of the public interested in conducting interviews. The guide contains step-by-step suggestions for making initial contact with an interviewee, conducting research and preparing questions for the interview, and producing transcripts and summaries to help make the interview(s) accessible to researchers.
