David Cesarani z"l

CST is deeply saddened by the news that Professor David Cesarani OBE has passed away at the age of 58. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

Professor Cesarani made an outstanding contribution to the academic study of the Holocaust and to its wider recognition in British society and politics. He wrote 16 books on the Holocaust and on Anglo-Jewish history including his acclaimed biography of Adolf Eichmann, which won the US National Jewish Book Award for history in 2006. David was lead researcher for the All Party Parliamentary War Crimes Group whose 1987 report led ultimately to the creation of the 1992 War Crimes Act. He was on the advisory board for the permanent exhibition on the Holocaust at the Imperial War Museum which opened in 2000. David received an OBE in 2005 for his work helping in the establishment of Holocaust Memorial Day in the UK and was a trustee of the HMD Trust.

David was a consultant to the Holocaust Educational Trust who he advised on their work in schools and he served alongside CST on the UK delegation to the International Task Force for Holocaust Remembrance, Education and Research. Before embarking on his academic career, David was political officer of the Union of Jewish Students.

Through his journalism, David made regular important contributions to public debate about contemporary and historic antisemitism. This included articles written for the Guardian on the need for Holocaust remembrance and on the traces of antisemitic thought that can be found in some left wing attitudes to Israel and Zionism. His essay on The Left and the Jews / The Jews and the Left, published by Labour Friends of Israel, remains a valuable primer on this subject.

David was known well by several current and former CST staff members, who always valued his considered opinion and detached wisdom on matters relating to CST's work.