Michael Marrus

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Michael Robert Marrus

FRHistS FRSC (February 3, 1941 – December 23, 2022) was a Canadian historian of the Holocaust, modern European and Jewish history and international humanitarian law
. He is the author of eight books on the Holocaust and related subjects.

Education

He received his

Holocaust Studies
.

Career

Publications

In 1981 Marrus co-authored with

death camps
.

Among Marrus' best-known books, The Holocaust in History (1987) applies the tools of

restitution campaign of the 1990s.[1]

Marrus' most recent work, Lessons of the Holocaust, published in 2015, deals with the historical and moral controversies which infuse the interpretation of the Holocaust and its significance. In it, Marrus denies there can be any definitive set of lessons to be learned from the destruction of the

European Jews and instead affirms that there are many ever-evolving questions that need to be continually studied and re-interpreted.[2]
His works have been translated into French, German, Polish, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Japanese.

Role in historical investigative commission

In October 1999 Marrus was one of three Jewish scholars appointed to the

International Catholic-Jewish Historical Commission to investigate the role of the Pope Pius XII
during the Holocaust.

The commission was supposed to review and discuss the previously published

Jerusalem Post Marrus expressed regret that the commission had run "up against a brick wall" on the question of opening Vatican archives.[3]

Massey College controversy

On September 26, 2017, at a lunch at Massey College, Hugh Segal, who then had the title of Master of Massey College, joined Marrus and other fellows at the table, including a black fellow. Perhaps in reference to a movement to eradicate the term 'Master' from all aspects of the language, no more 'master bedroom' or 'master carpenter', Marrus remarked, "You know this is your 'Master,' eh? Do you feel the lash?"[4][5] Marrus apologized for the comment and resigned from his position as a Senior Fellow of the college on October 1, 2017, in a letter to Segal, the head of the college, stating his "deepest regrets to all whom I may have harmed." He added, "I am so sorry for what I said, in a poor effort at jocular humour... I want to assure those who heard me … that while I had no ill-intent whatsoever I can appreciate how those at the table and those who have learned about it could take offence at what I said."[6]

Personal life

Marrus was born in Toronto, Canada on February 3, 1941. In 1971, Marrus married Carol "Randi" Greenstein; the couple had three children.[7]

He died on December 23, 2022, at the age of 81.[7]

Honors and awards

Marrus' books have received many prizes and distinctions, including the 1982

UCLA, and at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal Historical Society. In 2008 he became a member of the Order of Canada.[10]

Selected works

References

  1. Holocaust and Genocide Studies
    (1988) 3 (3): 345–347
  2. ^ "Marrus, Michael R." University of Toronto Centre of Jewish Studies. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
  3. ^ Melissa Radler. "Vatican Blocks Panel's Access to Holocaust Archives." The Jerusalem Post (July 24, 2001).
  4. CTV News Toronto
    . Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  5. ^ "Massey College under pressure to cut ties with professor after comment denounced as racist". The Globe and Mail. 2017-09-28. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  6. ^ "Massey College professor resigns over racially offensive remark, cites lack of 'due process'". The Globe and Mail. October 2, 2017. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Martin, Patrick (December 27, 2022). "Michael Marrus, noted historian and scholar of the Holocaust, dead at 81". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  8. ^ "Past Winners". Jewish Book Council. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  9. ^ "The Canadian Jewish Literary Awards". Canada Jewish Literary Awards.
  10. ^ "Order of Canada: Michael Robert Marrus, C.M., Ph.D., F.R.S.C." Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2011-01-12.

External links

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