Ronald W. Zweig
Encyclopedia
Ronald W. Zweig is an Israel
i historian specializing in Hebrew and Judaic studies, with particular reference to the British Mandate in Palestine. He is currently the Marilyn and Henry Taub Professor of Israel Studies at New York University
(NYU).
Zweig is the author of a number of books on Jewish and Israel studies, including The Gold Train: The Destruction of the Jews and the Looting of Hungary (2002), the story of a train run by the Nazis, the so-called "Hungarian gold train
," that left Budapest
, Hungary during the Second World War, heading for a Nazi-controlled area in the Alps. The train was carrying gold, diamonds, and wedding rings that the Nazis had stolen from the Hungarian Jewish community. It was intercepted by the American military before it could reach its destination, and the fate of its contents has been the subject of speculation ever since. Zweig acted as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice on a related lawsuit—Rosner, et al. v. United States of America—which alleged U.S. military malfeasance.
, then moved to England
. After graduating with a Ph.D. in modern history from the University of Cambridge
, he became a junior fellow at the University of Oxford
's Center for Hebrew Studies, 1977–1978. He was a visiting fellow at the Tauber Institute, Brandeis University
, in 1982. He then joined the staff of Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and in 1983 transferred to the Department of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University
, serving as Chair from 2003–2004. From 1983 to 2000 he edited the Journal of Israeli History, and the online edition of the Palestine Post
, 1932–1950. He was a visiting archives fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge
, in 1994; a visiting senior scholar at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1999; and held a research fellowship at Yad Vashem
in 2000.
In 2004, he became the director of the Taub Center for Israel Studies at NYU. He is also a member of the Historical Advisory Panel to the National Archives in Washington, D.C..
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i historian specializing in Hebrew and Judaic studies, with particular reference to the British Mandate in Palestine. He is currently the Marilyn and Henry Taub Professor of Israel Studies at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU).
Zweig is the author of a number of books on Jewish and Israel studies, including The Gold Train: The Destruction of the Jews and the Looting of Hungary (2002), the story of a train run by the Nazis, the so-called "Hungarian gold train
Hungarian Gold Train
The Hungarian Gold Train was the case of a Nazi-operated train during World War II that carried stolen valuables, mostly Hungarian Jewish persons' property, from Hungary towards Berlin in 1945...
," that left Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary during the Second World War, heading for a Nazi-controlled area in the Alps. The train was carrying gold, diamonds, and wedding rings that the Nazis had stolen from the Hungarian Jewish community. It was intercepted by the American military before it could reach its destination, and the fate of its contents has been the subject of speculation ever since. Zweig acted as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice on a related lawsuit—Rosner, et al. v. United States of America—which alleged U.S. military malfeasance.
Career
Zweig studied at the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, then moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After graduating with a Ph.D. in modern history from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, he became a junior fellow at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
's Center for Hebrew Studies, 1977–1978. He was a visiting fellow at the Tauber Institute, Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, in 1982. He then joined the staff of Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and in 1983 transferred to the Department of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
, serving as Chair from 2003–2004. From 1983 to 2000 he edited the Journal of Israeli History, and the online edition of the Palestine Post
Palestine Post
Palestine Post is the company responsible for postal service in the parts of Palestinian territories controlled by the Palestinian National Authority.-See also:* Postage stamps and postal history of the Palestinian National Authority...
, 1932–1950. He was a visiting archives fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.In 1958, a Trust was established with Sir Winston Churchill as its Chairman of Trustees, to build and endow a college for 60 fellows and 540 Students as a national and Commonwealth memorial to Winston Churchill; its...
, in 1994; a visiting senior scholar at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1999; and held a research fellowship at Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
in 2000.
In 2004, he became the director of the Taub Center for Israel Studies at NYU. He is also a member of the Historical Advisory Panel to the National Archives in Washington, D.C..
Books by Zweig
- The Political Uses of Military Intelligence: Evaluating the threat of a Jewish revolt against Britain during the Second World War, Cambridge University Press, January 1, 1985.
- Britain and Palestine during the Second World War (Royal Historical Society Studies in History), Royal Historical Society, February 27, 1986. ISBN 0-86193-200-5
- David Ben Gurion: Politics and Leadership in Israel (Ed.), Frank Cass, October 1, 1991. ISBN 0-7146-3423-9
- German Reparations and the Jewish World: a History of the Claims Conference, Frank Cass, May 1, 2001. ISBN 0-7146-5152-4
- The Gold TrainHungarian Gold TrainThe Hungarian Gold Train was the case of a Nazi-operated train during World War II that carried stolen valuables, mostly Hungarian Jewish persons' property, from Hungary towards Berlin in 1945...
: The Destruction of the Jews and the Looting of Hungary, William Morrow, September 17, 2002. ISBN 0-06-620956-0