Dissemination and Analysis of Human Remains During Cremation from the Holocaust, Focusing on Instruments Used
In the heart of the University of Innsbruck, Dr. Zuzanna Dziuban, a senior postdoctoral scholar at the Institute of Culture Studies of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, is delving into a profound and sensitive topic – the politics of dead bodies. Her research, a collaborative effort involving multiple institutions, is also in cooperation with the Institute of Archaeologies and the Institute of Contemporary History. Assoc.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Barbara HAUSMAIR, an Associate Professor of Medieval, Post-Medieval and Contemporary Archaeology at the University of Innsbruck, is a key collaborator in this project. Together, they are investigating the institutionalized practice of 'handing over' incinerated human remains by major museums established at the sites of former Nazi concentration and extermination camps in Poland. Dr. Dziuban's research extends beyond the physical remains, focusing on the material, affective, and political afterlives of the Holocaust and other instances of political violence. Her work aims to shed light on the complex ways in which these events continue to shape our world. Over the years, Dr. Dziuban has co-edited several significant publications, including 'The 'Forensic Turn': Engaging Materialities of Mass Death in Holocaust Studies and Beyond' (2017) and 'The 'Spectral Turn': Jewish Ghosts in the Polish Post-Holocaust Imaginaire' (2019). She has also authored the book 'Foreignness, Homelessness, Loss: Dimensions of Atopia of the Contemporary Cultural Experience' (2009, in Polish). The exact location of the research within the University of Innsbruck is not specified, but it is within the Department of Medieval and Modern Archaeology. Dr. Dziuban's work is a testament to the university's commitment to fostering critical and thought-provoking research. As this research continues, it promises to provide valuable insights into the handling and interpretation of historical atrocities, contributing to a deeper understanding of our collective past and its ongoing impact.
