Formation of the Holocaust Issue in American Historiography in 1945-1960s

Abstract

The article examines formation of the Holocaust as an issue in American historiography during the first period of its studying. Taking intoaccount social and political context of the USA, the author analyzes problems,which the first generation of the Holocaust researchers faced. It includes inadequate understanding of the Holocaust nature in the American public consciousness in this period. on the basis of both authentic publications and contemporary historiographic studies, approaches to the study and understandingthe Holocaust in the first post-war scientific research and documentary heritage collection projects are examined. The author makes a conclusion about thespecific influence of the American public opinion and political context on thework of the first Holocaust historians in the United States, as well as the main scientific results obtained in the historiography of this period in understanding of the tragedy of European Jews. Despite the absence of the state prohibition ofstudying the Final Solution, there were some other circumstances opposed to afull understanding of the nature of the Holocaust then. At the same time due toa number of academic researches and projects a significant contribution to thestudy and documentation of the Holocaust was made.