Scholarship allows Holocaust scholar to continue research
The Scholarship offers $10,000 to the successful applicant to further their studies with a Master's by thesis and to specialise in issues related to the Holocaust or its impacts in contemporary life.
Tarryn is honoured to be the inaugural recipient of the Scholarship as it has allowed her to continue her postgraduate studies part-time.
“The Scholarship has relieved a lot of financial pressure for me and my son. It means that I don't need to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, and that allows me to still spend quality time with my son and on my studies without burning out,” she explains.
The Scholarship is one of the few scholarships available to part-time students. “I think it was a really fantastic decision for the Trust to allow part-time students the opportunity to apply for the scholarship,”says Tarryn. “Many students, like myself, aren't able to study full-time for a variety of reasons and as a result, often miss out on scholarships.”
Tarryn’s research investigates Jewish persecution in West German Holocaust cinema between 1949–1979—a topic she originally researched in her Honours degree. “I found it extremely fascinating to see the vast difference between German Holocaust cinema in the post-war years, versus their contemporary media. I wanted to build on that research,” she says.
“As the only one of its kind, the Raye Blumenthal Freedman Scholarship is invaluable in encouraging research in Holocaust Studies in New Zealand,” says History lecturer and Holocaust scholar Associate Professor Giacomo Lichtner. “It allows our students to investigate in more depth the histories of the Holocaust and its relevance beyond WWII and encourages a broader range of views and contributions.”
He says Tarryn’s research offers an interesting question that connects to broader problems of collective memory and national identity. “It offers fascinating inter-disciplinary insights about cinema's role in shaping how we understand the past. Tarryn impressed us with her subtle and sensitive thinking about Holocaust history and human rights, and with her worldview, rooted in te Ao Māori.”
Tarryn is hoping to continue her studies and pursue a career in academia and historical research. “"Whāia te matauranga kia marama"—history is such an important thing and with so few Holocaust survivors left, I want to ensure this part of history is never forgotten.”