Ruth Maiers plass – i lys av kollektive minner og livsskrivning
The 2007 publication of Ruth Maier’s Diary. A Jewish refugee in Norway marked a turning point in the reception of her writings. Previously on the margins of Norwegian memory culture, her life story became recognized as a vital testimony to the Holocaust and has since taken a central place in narratives of Norway’s occupation years.
This doctoral dissertation examines how a concurrent shift in Norwegian memory culture, toward a greater focus on the Holocaust, has influenced the publication and reception of Maier’s story. It seeks to deepen our understanding of her work by re-reading her original letters and diaries as life writing, and exploring how she addresses Jewish identity, gender, and queer sexuality.