Pelt ist ein führender akademischer Experte für die Architektur und den Bau von NS-Konzentrationslagern. Seine Forschung befasst sich mit den beunruhigenden Details dieser Stätten und bietet tiefe Einblicke in die Mechanismen des Holocaust.
Der Name Auschwitz ist wie kein anderer zum Synonym für die Ermordung der europäischen Juden geworden. Debórah Dwork und Robert Jan van Pelt verfolgen im ersten Teil des Buches die Geschichte der 1270 gegründeten Stadt. Im zweiten Teil werden Entstehung und Expansion des Lagers sowie Organisation und Durchführung der Judenvernichtung dokumentiert. In diesem grundlegenden Standardwerk widerlegen die Autoren selbst den letzten Zweifel an der grauenhaften Realität des Holocaust ein für allemal.
"The Barrack, 1572-1914" explores the history of barracks, often viewed with suspicion, from their origins in the late 16th century to 1914. This illustrated work highlights their evolution from temporary shelters to significant structures for military and civilian use, shaping modern political landscapes. Over 250 images showcase their design and construction innovations.
An Atlas of Jewish Space and a Synagogue for Babyn Yar
On September 29 and 30, 1941, over 33,000 Jewish men, women, and children were murdered in Babyn Yar, a ravine in Kiev, marking the largest single massacre of Jews by German troops during World War II. In remembrance and affirmation of a Jewish future, a synagogue shaped like an oversized Jewish prayer book was inaugurated on the site in May 2021. This innovative structure, designed by architect Manuel Herz, features an inner space that unfolds, adorned with murals by Ukrainian artist Galina Andrusenko. The synagogue's design reflects a meditation on Judaism's 3,000-year history, exploring the concept of Jewish Space in its territorial, architectural, psychological, theological, and intellectual dimensions. This journey navigates a historical landscape marked by spiritual aspirations and the depths of despair stemming from antisemitism, persecution, and genocide. The first volume of the accompanying work, An Atlas of Jewish Space, includes 134 brief, engaging texts by Robert Jan van Pelt, each paired with a drawing by Mark Podwal. The second volume, A Synagogue for Babyn Yar, documents the new building through photographs by architectural photographer Iwan Baan, alongside plans and model photos, enhanced by texts from Manuel Herz, Galina Andrusenko, Jean-Louis Cohen, and Marina Otero Verzier and Nick Axel.
Emotionally resonant photographs of everyday life in the Jewish Lodz Ghetto taken during WWII