"Genealogy and Genocide: The Nazi ‘Proof of Ancestry’ and its Origins"
Professional Background
Dr. Eric Ehrenreich received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Wisconsin; he wrote his dissertation on “Genealogy and Genocide: The Nazi ‘Proof of Ancestry’ and the Holocaust.” He earned an M.A. in history from the University of Wisconsin, a J.D. from the University of California, Davis, and a B.A. with distinction from California State University, Long Beach. For his Douglas and Carol Cohen Fellowship, Dr. Ehrenreich expanded his dissertation and conducted research on “Genealogy and Genocide: The Nazi ‘Proof of Ancestry’ and its Origins.”
Dr. Ehrenreich has received several awards and fellowships. He was awarded the George L. Mosse Teaching Fellowship in European History; the George L. Mosse Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship; a Fulbright Fellowship; and has participated in the Berlin Program for Advanced German and European Studies (SSRC). As a teaching assistant and lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. Ehrenreich has taught the courses History of European Racism, Introduction to Modern Jewish History, and Europe between the Wars.
Fellowship Research
During his tenure at the Museum, Dr. Ehrenreich researched the Nazi “proof of ancestry” and its origins — a study of Nazi racial laws and the lack of scientific basis for them. He was particularly interested in the history of institutions involved in implementing Nazi racial policies, the social history relating to the implementation of such policies, and the cultural history of ideas used to rationalize the policies.
Dr. Ehrenreich was in residence at the Mandel Center from September 1, 2004 to May 12, 2005.