A Refugee in Cambridge Remembered

In partnership with Cambridge University Library (CUL), this year Girton introduced a new research fellowship. It offers the chance for a manuscript scholar, practising archivist or manuscript librarian to undertake paid research into any aspect of the University Library’s world-class medieval collections as a member of its staff, while at the same time joining our academic community at Girton

The fellowship is named after Dr Dorothea Oschinsky (1910–1995): medievalist, palaeographer and archival educator. After completing PhD research in Breslau in the 1930s she was barred from taking her degree in Germany because she was Jewish. Oschinsky escaped to England with great difficulty, bringing her parents and other family members with her. Once settled, she began a second PhD at the London School of Economics, this time on medieval English history supervised by the great economic historian and former Girton Fellow Eileen Power, whose protégée she became. When the LSE was evacuated from London, Oschinsky migrated with Power to Cambridge, making extensive use of the University Library’s collections during the war.

In 1946 she moved again to Liverpool University, to teach palaeography and archival science for its new postgraduate archive qualification. She stayed there for the rest of her career, shaping generations of UK archivists, an increasingly legendary – if somewhat formidable – figure. Liverpool remains one of the five universities in the UK where postgraduate professional training in archival science is offered. She returned to Cambridge in retirement, on her death bequeathing her entire estate, which was substantial, to CUL.

‘It has been a perfect solution to join forces with Girton to honour the life and work of Dorothea Oschinsky’, says Dr Suzanne Paul, Keeper of Rare Books and Early

Manuscripts at the Library. ‘Sharing our collections with the world and facilitating new discoveries are key strategic aims of CUL. By enabling a scholar to work intensively with our manuscript collections for an academic year, the fellowship actively honours Dorothea’s legacy and produces valuable new insights into our historic collections.’

Dr James White is our first Oschinsky Research Fellow. James specialises in the study of medieval Arabic and Persian literary manuscripts, and he has been bringing his expertise to bear in studying the University Library’s Middle Eastern collections throughout the year. ‘The Oschinsky Fellowship has been a wonderful chance to spend time with Cambridge’s unique and globally significant collection of medieval Middle Eastern manuscripts. The opportunity to work at the University Library on a daily basis has allowed me to make new discoveries, such as a previously mislabelled codex which is an incredibly valuable and early source for the verse of al-Ma‘arri, one of the most important medieval Arabic poets. Girton has made my fellowship extra special, and it has been fantastic to join such a dynamic and welcoming community. Being exposed to the diverse research that the College’s fellows are conducting, and presenting on my own work, have been transformative experiences.’