Claire Wimbush (she/her) works as an Archive Researcher for the International Tracing Service (ITS) at The Wiener Holocaust Library in London. She completed her undergraduate degree in History and Eastern European Cultural Studies at The University of Nottingham in 2019 before pursuing an MA in History of Design (RCA/V&A). As a postgraduate design historian, her research focused on exploring material culture of the Soviet Gulag, considering both clandestine creations and permitted propaganda within forced labor camps. Claire’s work at the Library focuses on tracing the fates of those persecuted during the Holocaust using the ITS Digital Archive. Once documents have been located in the archive, Claire transcribes, translates and interprets them to uncover their meaning and what they can tell us about a person’s path of persecution. Claire’s research interests span queer histories, language contact, and material culture within the context of war and displacement.

​

As a PTL Project Advocate, Claire has volunteered her time, expertise, and voice to our efforts to make the Project's digital content as accessible as possible. She is the reader who provided an audio version of the Project's essays on Frieda Belinfante and Henny Schermann. Claire is also using her talents to produce a new profile resource kit for our LGBTQ+ Stories from Nazi Germany initiative, which will be published in 2025. 

​

Reflecting on her involvement with the Pink Triangle Legacies Project, Claire states, "As a queer woman who has been lucky enough to grow up within liberal and accepting theatrical circles, I have felt compelled to turn my attention to those who have not been so lucky in the past. This opportunity to volunteer with PTLP and marry my research skills with my interest in the histories of marginalized communities is one I greatly value. I am grateful to conduct research on a daily basis as part of my role at the Library, and wanted to use the skills I have gained in navigating the complex and fascinating ITS Digital Archive to support the vital work that the PTLP team is doing. I was particularly excited to assist in providing information in different formats to increase their accessibility to a wider audience."