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2024-12-31-accounts

The Wiener Holocaust Library Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31st December 2024

Collect, Preserve, Share

Registered Company No: 00596820 Registered Charity No: 313015

THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

CONTENTS

Trustees’ Report ............................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Chair’s Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Mission, Achievements, Future ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Financial Review, Fundraising ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 Organisational Disclosures ............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Trustees’ Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Reference and Administrative Information ................................................................................................................................. 12 Financial Statements....................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Statement of Financial Activities ................................................................................................................................................. 13 Balance Sheet ............................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Statement of Cash Flows .............................................................................................................................................................. 15 Notes to the Financial Statements................................................................................................................................................. 16 Independent Auditor’s Report....................................................................................................................................................... 31

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Trustees’ Report

Chair’s Foreword

Earlier this year I was delighted to take up the role of Chair of The Wiener Holocaust Library, an institution that plays a vital part in preserving and sharing the history of the Holocaust. I look forward to building on the progress made in recent years, and I am proud to present our 2024 annual accounts.

I would like to thank my predecessor, Mr Anthony Landes, for his dedicated leadership over the past six years. Under his guidance, the Library has gone from strength to strength, further establishing itself as a leading centre for Holocaust research and education. I am grateful for the solid foundation he has helped to create, alongside Dr Toby Simpson, and I look forward to working with the staff and trustees as we continue this important work.

I would also like to warmly congratulate Dr Toby Simpson on being awarded an OBE for his services to Holocaust memory in the 2024 New Year Honours. His commitment has been key in making the Wiener Holocaust Library’s collections more widely available, helping to deepen public understanding of this crucial history. This recognition is well deserved and a source of pride for all involved with the Library.

The past year has highlighted both the resilience of our institution and the continuing relevance of our work. We have achieved notable milestones and made good progress in our efforts to preserve Holocaust memory and educate future generations.

I would like to thank everyone who has supported the Library and its mission, particularly our Funding Partners, Guardians and Patrons without whom our work would not be possible. We remain one of the few essential collections of evidence in the world underpinning education, remembrance and research into the Holocaust and other genocides. Supporting this institution is vital for keeping the truth alive and for safeguarding the legacy of Holocaust victims and survivors. We are fulfilling our mission in an uncertain world where fascism and antisemitism are growing threats. The Wiener Holocaust Library remains crucial as we seek to ensure that the lessons of the past continue to inform and inspire future generations.

Mr Daniel Peltz OBE

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Mission, Achievements, Future

OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY AND MISSION

The Wiener Holocaust Library’s (‘The Library’s’) objectives and its principal activity in the year under review concern the advancement of the study and knowledge of the Holocaust and related subjects, including genocide more broadly. No substantial change in the activity of The Library for the year to 31 December 2025 is contemplated. The Trustees are aware of their requirements to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit, ‘Charities and Public Benefit.’

Formed in 1933, The Wiener Holocaust Library is Britain’s leading institute for the study of the Holocaust and genocide. The Library’s unique collection of over two million items is the oldest of its kind in the world. It includes published and unpublished works, documentation, press cuttings, photographs, and eyewitness testimony.

Our vision is to continuously develop a library, archive and information service for the UK and the international community, dedicated to supporting research, learning, and teaching and advocacy about the Holocaust and genocide, their causes, and consequences.

Our mission is:

Our activities give a voice to the victims of the Holocaust and other genocides. We support education and confront antisemitism and Holocaust denial and distortion. We work to bring together networks of people from diverse backgrounds. We put the past at the service of the future.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

For more than nine decades, the Wiener Holocaust Library has served as a steadfast guardian of historical truth and remembrance. Our dedication to documenting the atrocities of the past and ensuring their lessons endure remains resolute. This commitment has driven our accomplishments throughout 2024.

Achievements of 2024 include two major exhibitions and the full refurbishment of our main exhibition space. Prior to the refurbishment our exhibition "Genocidal Captivity", delivered in partnership with the Holocaust Research Institute, Royal Holloway, powerfully explored the harrowing experiences of Armenian and Yezidi women survivors of genocide, challenging viewers to confront the complexities of retelling their stories. The refurbishment project began after this exhibition, in July 2024, prior to our reopening to the public with the exhibition Fred Kormis: Sculpting the Twentieth Century . The project delivered enhanced display capabilities with new wall-mounted showcases, improving accessibility and flexibility for visitors.

We also succeeded in completing a major milestone of our multi-year Digital Transformation project. In January 2025, we launched Wiener Digital Collections, an online portal providing unprecedented access to our digitized material. It includes over 150,000 pages of evidence, such as eyewitness testimonies, photographs, anti-Nazi writings, and documents from the Nuremberg Trials. This resource was built through a multi-year digitisation effort supported by generous donations.

Another highlight was our fundraising gala dinner at the Wallace Collection, which raised a remarkable £400,000 to support our work. The event was hosted by Sir Mick and Lady Barbara Davis. It drew supporters, cultural figures, politicians, and philanthropists. Among the speakers was Lord Daniel Finkelstein, grandson of the library’s founder, who highlighted the institution’s vital role in combating hatred and preserving historical truth.

Our International Tracing Service team continue to support survivors, families, and researchers in tracing individual fates, uncovering histories of Nazi persecution, forced labour, displacement, and emigration. We also expanded our public programming, hosting a diverse array of events including panel discussions, film screenings, and workshops. For example, we hosted a workshop on Older People and the Holocaust in December, bringing together scholars from across the world to support research for a forthcoming book and exhibition on this underexplored topic.

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Total Visitors: 5,902

▪ Number: 47 ▪ In-person attendees (note that in-person talks were suspended for part of the year due to refurb work): 523 ▪ Online attendees: 1,450 

  - YouTube views: 34,007

FUTURE PLANS

As we enter the final year of our current five-year Strategic Plan (2021-2025), the Library continues to make significant progress in our main priority areas. Over the course of the next twelve months, we will develop and publish a new five-year strategy to guide our efforts beyond 2025. This new plan will build upon our achievements and set ambitious goals for the future.

In the meantime, we remain committed to advancing our work in the following key areas:

Engagement of diverse audiences

Online engagement remains a key focus, with the launch of Wiener Digital Collections providing unprecedented global access to over 150,000 pages of crucial Holocaust-related documents, photographs, and testimonies. This groundbreaking digital portal not only increases our reach and impact but also serves as a vital tool for Holocaust research, education, and combating antisemitism, while maintaining our high standards of quality.

Expanded education and outreach

We are consolidating our progress in reaching more people with our resources, both online and in-person. This expansion relies on continued successful fundraising efforts, which we have managed to achieve thus far.

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Enhanced access to collections

Cataloguing and digitisation of our collections remain our priorities, alongside developing innovative ways to engage audiences with our digital material. Wiener Digital Collections, referenced above, ensures collections are not only more easily accessed but also better utilised.

Increased Research Impact

We continue to build on our research partnership with the Holocaust Research Institute, Royal Holloway, through a joint exhibition comparing the recent Yezidi genocide by ISIS with the 1915 Armenian genocide. Additionally, we are progressing with plans to develop a UK hub for the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure.

Growth in Resources

We have recruited a new Head of Development who is focused on developing the Library's major donor programme and supporting the renewal of our fundraising strategy with a specific focus on increasing unrestricted resources. The growth of numerous successful projects has placed increasing demands on our core function, including work with collections, and we will address this challenge through strategic development of our donor base.

As we approach the conclusion of our current strategic cycle, we look forward to reflecting on our achievements and setting new goals for the future. The development of our next five-year strategy will involve consultation with stakeholders and careful consideration of emerging challenges and opportunities in our field.

Financial Review, Fundraising

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

The Wiener Holocaust Library is in a good financial position and has reserves sufficient to withstand the currently known challenges in 2025.

During 2024, The Library’s Unrestricted General Funds advanced to £1,106,481 (2023: £948,783). The Board considers this to be an appropriate reserve, supporting on-going activities (see Reserves Policy below).

Unrestricted Designated Funds, excluding Leasehold and other Fixed Tangible Assets, amounted to £175,205 (2023: £251,310). Restricted Funds at year-end stood at £1,096,748 (2023: £1,093,928). The Library’s Endowed Funds increased to £3,155,500 (2023: £3,074,202). The Trustees are satisfied that The Library meets going-concern standards.

The Board remains immensely grateful to its supporters who continue to show their commitment to The Library’s mission. Our core funders made unrestricted grants of £425,000 (2023: £445,000). Other unrestricted donations by a wide range of individuals and charitable foundations, amounted to £573,424 (2023: £308,555), partly due to the great success of our 90[th] birthday fundraising dinner (see Fundraising).

Total expenditures during 2024 amounted to £2,065,813 (2023: £1,687,410). Of these, 47% (2023: 46%) was covered by unrestricted funds and 53% (2023: 54%) by restricted and endowment funds. The Library continues to be a high fixed-cost operation. Payroll costs, including temporary staff, amounted to 46% (2023: 50%) of total costs. Ongoing operating costs were 30% (2023: 28%). The remaining 24% (2023: 22%) are direct outlays on projects, substantially all covered by restricted funds. The overall increases in costs were related to increasing security costs.

These comments should be read in conjunction with the financial statements on pages 13 to 30.

Going concern

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties which would cast doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. We have significant fundraising needs annually, but our ongoing campaigning continues to bear fruit from our generous donors, and our reserves are sufficient to cover us through periods of uncertainty.

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Reserves Policy

The Library’s objective is to raise income from donations to cover annual expenditure on the charitable mission and objectives as far forward as possible and to build free reserves to:

The unrestricted general reserve at year-end was £1,106,481 (2023: £948,783). The policy is to maintain these undesignated reserves at a minimum equal to six months of projected charitable expenditures, including relevant restricted costs. The current general reserve exceeds the six-month projected costs of £901,600 (2023: £876,147). The Board is satisfied with the level of reserves.

The Board has established designated funds for 1) maintenance of the premises, 2) digitisation of the collection, 3) redevelopment and refit of the exhibition and public spaces, and 4) infrastructure repair, notably the roof. These liquid designated funds on 31 December 2024 stood at £175,205 (2024: £251,310). Designated funds for leasehold and all fixed assets amounted to £2,654,553 (2023: £2,571,249).

The Finance & Risk Committee (“F&R”) quarterly monitors in detail the current and expected cashflows of Unrestricted and Restricted capital funds to ensure continued liquidity for The Library overall.

Investment policy and returns

At year-end, The Library had circa £2.2 million (2023: £2.1 million) of the restricted Catalyst Fund invested in two open-ended funds managed by Troy Asset Management. Capital appreciation during the year amounted to £110,088 (2023: £50,843). Rathbones Investment Management’s charity team manages funds of the Hecht Legacy and unrestricted surplus cash, on a discretionary basis. These, held in a selection of open-ended funds, were valued at balance sheet date at £910,503 (2023: £857,741) following gains of £52,761 (2023: £45,991).

The Library’s Investment Advisory Board is responsible for the management of its investments and reviews these on a quarterly basis. The Committee draws on a few Trustees and individuals with relevant experience to formulate investment strategies. As part of risk control discipline, the Committee ensures the investments are appropriately diversified and monitors risk exposures in the context of other investments. Trustees confirm that investments are held in accordance with the powers available to them.

Risk Management, Internal Controls and Mitigation

The Library maintains a Risk Register which records and monitors the major risks faced by the institution and includes mitigation actions and procedures to protect The Library, its members, staff, public, and other stakeholders. This Register is reviewed on a quarterly basis by Finance & Risk, with a Board review on a bi-annual basis. The Trustees regularly review controls as part of Finance & Risk terms of reference and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate identified risks to an acceptable level.

Financial Risks

Non-financial Risks & Mitigation

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

FUNDRAISING

The Library's funding for 2024 came as a result of the generosity of a range of donors, including foundations, trusts and individual donors. The Library also held a major fundraising dinner in 2024, hosted and sponsored by The Davis Foundation, which raised more than £300,000 in 2024 with additional multi-year pledges.

The Library relies on its core Funding Partners, Guardians, and Patrons for much of its operating costs. In 2024 these included: the Wiener Library Endowment Trust, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the Pears Foundation and the Association of Jewish Refugees, among others.

Donations were primarily secured through written applications and project proposals, with additional support generated through one-to-one fundraising or events.

The Library has recently appointed a Head of Development who is responsible to the Director for overseeing fundraising, supported by a Development Coordinator and by other staff. The work is overseen by, and receives advice from, a Fundraising Committee, which meets on a quarterly basis with minutes presented to the Board. The Committee comprises the Board Chair, and two other trustees, as well as relevant staff members including the Director.

The focus of fundraising is:

Fundraising activities are developed in line with the Fundraising Code of Practice set by the Regulator. The Library’s fundraising promise can be found on the website. Robust policies are in place regarding vulnerable people and treating donors fairly. During the year, no complaints regarding fundraising activities were received.

Organisational Disclosures

Constitution

The Library is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. It was incorporated in 1958 and last changed its constitution in 2015.

Organisational structure and decision-making policies

The Trustees, who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law, have overall responsibility for ensuring that the charity meets its charitable objectives and has an appropriate system of controls, financial and otherwise. All Trustees are involved in ensuring that the legal obligations of the charity are met, and that the charity pursues its charitable objectives as set out in the governing documents.

The Board meets quarterly and has an Away Day each year, where Trustees and senior management come together to discuss and update on strategy and progress. The Board delegates the exercise of certain of its powers as set out below which it controls through regular reporting.

The F&R meets quarterly, and ad hoc, when necessary, with minutes presented to the Board. F&R reviews key risks, staff wellbeing, staff recruitment and remuneration, safety and security, operations on premises and IT, as well as all financial aspects of The Library.

The Treasurer, who is Chair of F&R, together with The Library’s finance manager, oversees the external audits and meets at least once a year with the auditors.

F&R advises the Board on the appropriate level of General Reserves. F&R is supported by an Investment Advisory Panel, which oversees The Library’s investments.

Remuneration of staff is delegated to a subset of F&R, consisting of Board Chair, Treasurer, one other Trustee and the Director, and then reviewed by the Board. Remuneration of the Director is set by the Board. The pay level for staff is set by reference to periodic benchmarking to equivalent posts in similar institutions and market intelligence as appropriate.

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Responsibility for the execution of Board policies is delegated to the Director who is appointed by the Trustees and supported by a senior management team.

Trustees

The Board seeks to appoint, by simple majority, Trustees, who have a strong affinity with the mission of the charity while aiming to have a balance of background, skills, and expertise that support The Library in its vital work. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits. Each Trustee can serve a maximum of nine years in three separate terms of three years and may offer themselves for re-appointment at the end of each term. The Board currently comprises ten Trustees which is the maximum permitted under the Articles of Association.

New Trustees are offered an induction meeting with the Board Chair, the Treasurer, other Trustees, and the Director as appropriate. They are referred to the relevant guidance of the Charity Commission and have access to Accounts, Board minutes and other necessary documentation.

Trustees who reached the end of their terms during the year have been reappointed in accordance with the Memorandum of Association, except for those at the end of nine year terms who have resigned accordingly. Trustees who held office during the year and as at the date of this report are:

Funding Partners, Guardians, and Patrons

Funding Partners

We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our key Funding Partners. Their commitment to the Library allows us to continue our important work.

Guardians

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Patrons

Honorary Patrons

We would like to thank all supporters of the Library who are not named here, including those who wish to remain anonymous.

Trustees’ Responsibilities

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees, who are also directors of The Wiener Holocaust Library for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that year. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

As far as each of the Trustees is aware at the time the report is approved:

In preparing this report the directors have taken advantage of small company exemptions.

Received and approved by the Board on 29 October 2025 and signed as authorised on their behalf by:

Daniel Peltz OBE

Chair

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THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Reference and Administrative Information

Director Dr Toby Simpson
Company Secretary Jenny Rofe-Radcliffe
Charity Registration Number 313015
Company Registration Number 00596820
Principal Address and Registered Office 29 Russell Square
Bloomsbury
London WC1B 5DP
Independent Auditor Sayer Vincent LLP
110 Golden Lane
London EC1Y 0TG
Bankers Lloyds Bank
Langham Place branch
P O Box 1000
London BX1 1LT
Deutsche Bank AG
Königsallee 45/47
40189 Dusseldorf, Germany
Investment Advisors Rathbone Investment Management
8 Finsbury Circus
London, EC2M 7AZ
Website www.WienerHolocaustLibrary.org

12

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 December 2024

Note
Income from:
2
3
4
5
5
13
6
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds carried forward
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Total funds brought forward
Net gains / (losses) on investments
Net income / (expenditure) for the year
Raising funds
Total expenditure
Net income / (expenditure) before net gains on
investments
Charitable activities
Investments
Other trading activities
Total income
Expenditure on:
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities		 Unrestricted
£
998,424
25,706
29,684
9,795		 Restricted
£
-
1,020,289
-
-		 Endowment
£
-
-
68,081
-		 2024
Total
£
998,424
1,045,995
97,765
9,795		 Unrestricted
£
753,555
26,335
33,588
18,376		 Restricted
£
-
662,938
-
-		 Endowment
£
900,000
-
19,567
-		 2023
Total
£
1,653,555
689,273
53,155
18,376
1,063,609 1,020,289 68,081 2,151,979 831,854 662,938 919,567 2,414,359
200,513
776,566		 -
1,053,064		 -
35,670		 200,513
1,865,300		 86,454
695,547		 -
905,409		 -
-		 86,454
1,600,956
977,079 1,053,064 35,670 2,065,813 782,001 905,409 - 1,687,410
-
86,530		 52,761
(32,775)		 110,088
32,411		 162,849
86,166		 -
49,853		 45,991
(242,471)		 50,843
919,567		 96,834
726,949
86,530
78,369		 19,986
(17,168)		 142,499
(61,201)		 249,015
-		 49,853
(2,650)		 (196,480)
86,916		 970,410
(84,266)		 823,783
-
164,899
3,771,342		 2,818
1,093,928		 81,298
3,074,202		 249,015
7,939,472		 47,203
3,724,139		 (109,564)
1,203,492		 886,144
2,188,058		 823,783
7,115,689
3,936,239 1,096,748 3,155,500 8,188,487 3,771,342 1,093,928 3,074,202 7,939,472

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 17a to the financial statements.

13

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Balance sheet

Balance sheet Balance sheet
As at 31 December 2024 Company no. 00596820
Note
£
Fixed assets:
11
13
Current assets:
14
166,257
2,034,703
313,256
2,514,216
Liabilities:
15
(135,316)
17a
2,654,553
175,205
1,106,481
Total unrestricted funds
Endowment funds
Restricted income funds
Unrestricted income funds:
Designated funds
Fixed Assets funds
The funds of the charity:
Investments
Cash at bank and in hand
Short term deposits
Tangible assets
Total charity funds
Debtors
General funds
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Net current assets
Total net assets		 2024
£
2,654,553
3,155,034		 £
101,397
1,835,394
499,665		 2023
£
2,571,249
2,992,185
5,809,587
2,378,900		 5,563,434
2,376,038
2,514,216
(135,316)		 2,436,456
(60,418)
2,654,553
175,205
1,106,481		 2,571,249
251,310
948,783
8,188,487 7,939,472
1,096,748
3,155,500
3,936,239		 1,093,928
3,074,202
3,771,342
8,188,487 7,939,472

Approved by the trustees on 29 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by

Daniel Peltz Chair

14

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Statement of cash flows

For the year ended 31 December 2024

Cash flows from operating activities
Net income for the reporting period
(as per the statement of financial activities)
Depreciation charges
(Gains) on investments
Dividends, interest and rent from investments
(Increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
Net cash (used in)/ provided by operating activities
Analysis of cash and cash equivalents and of net debt
Short-term investments
Cash at bank and in hand
Total cash and cash equivalents
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Purchase of fixed assets		 £
£
249,015
64,914
(162,849)
(97,765)
(64,860)
74,898
63,353
97,765
(148,218)
(50,453)
12,900
At 1
January
2024
£
1,835,394
499,665
2,335,059
2024		 £
£
249,015
64,914
(162,849)
(97,765)
(64,860)
74,898
63,353
97,765
(148,218)
(50,453)
12,900
At 1
January
2024
£
1,835,394
499,665
2,335,059
2024		 £
£
823,783
65,870
(96,834)
(53,155)
(31,037)
(2,921)
705,706
53,155
-
53,155
758,861
Cash flows
At 31
December
2024
£
£
199,309
2,034,703
(186,409)
313,256
12,900
2,347,959
2023		 £
£
823,783
65,870
(96,834)
(53,155)
(31,037)
(2,921)
705,706
53,155
-
53,155
758,861
Cash flows
At 31
December
2024
£
£
199,309
2,034,703
(186,409)
313,256
12,900
2,347,959
2023
97,765
(148,218)		 53,155
-
Cash flows
£
199,309
(186,409)
12,900 758,861
At 1
January
2024
£
1,835,394
499,665		 At 31
December
2024
£
2,034,703
313,256
2,335,059 12,900 2,347,959

15

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

1 Accounting policies

a) Statutory information

The Wiener Holocaust Library is a public benefit entity registered as a charity in England and Wales and a company limited by guarantee without any share capital. It was incorporated on 9 January 1958 (company number: 00596820) and registered as a charity on 20 September 1967 (charity number: 313015).

The registered office address is 29 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 5DP.

b) Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) - (Charities SORP FRS 102), The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.

In applying the financial reporting framework, the trustees have made a number of subjective judgements, for example in respect of significant accounting estimates. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The nature of the estimation means the actual outcomes could differ from those estimates. Any significant estimates and judgements affecting these financial statements are detailed within the relevant accounting policy below.

c) Public benefit entity

The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

d) Going concern

The charity’s ability to meet its day-to-day financial liabilities is dependent on the continuing contributions from its donors. Trustees have given due consideration to the experience in 2023 and in previous years under the Covid-19 pandemic, the results available to-date of this report, the relevant information on donors and activities for the foreseeable future. Trustees have considered that there are no material uncertainties. This is on the basis that contributions will continue. Given that planned activities and the charity’s reserves are reviewed regularly, the Board considers it appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis.

e) Income

All income, including legacies, is recognised once the charity has entitlement to income, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably, and, if applicable, any performance conditions are met. All donations and legacies are allocated between unrestricted and restricted funds depending on conditions imposed by the donors. Ancillary income is recognised as earned as the related services or goods are provided. Investment income is recognised when receivable based on notification by the investment managers.

f) Fund accounting

Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donors. Expenditure which meets these criteria is identified and is allocated to the respective funds.

Unrestricted funds generated without further specified purpose are available for the general purposes of the charity. These funds include designated funds which the Trustees have, at their discretion, set aside for specific purposes.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.

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The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

1 Accounting policies (continued)

g) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to the expenditure. Expenditure is included under categories (cost codes) that aggregate all costs relating to that category. Further, costs are allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. All expenses incurred are inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

h) Leasehold and depreciation

The Library acquired an interest in the building at 29 Russell Square on a 99-year lease commencing on 27th October 2010. The trustees adopted an accounting policy not to depreciate the asset until the lease has less than 50 years to run because there was an expectation at the time that the landlord’s intention was to extend the lease. A review in 2022 indicated that there is no guarantee that a future agreement will be reached with the landlord to extend the lease past its 99 years. Therefore, it is appropriate to depreciate the asset over the legal lease term. Consequently, there was a prior year adjustment in 2022. Annual depreciation is charged to General Funds.

i) Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Expenditures on Tangible Fixed Assets are written off in the year in which the costs are incurred, except for exceptionally large investments on property, plant and equipment, of more than £25,000. Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less provision for depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost less residual value of each asset over its expected useful life on a straight-line basis, as follows:

 Office & archiving equipment 3 years  Fixtures & fittings 10 years  Leasehold property 99 years  Leasehold improvements 20 years

The Library is considered to possess heritage assets. Their total cost is not valued in the balance sheet as there is no reliable historical information and a conventional valuation would be overly onerous given the nature and uniqueness of some of the items held and might well prove to be arbitrary. Further information is in Note 12.

j) Employee Benefits

Short-term benefits including holiday pay are recognised as an expense in the period in which the service is received. Termination benefits are accounted for on an accrual basis and in line with FRS 102. The charity contributes to a personal, defined contribution, pension scheme. All contributed costs are accounted for based on the duration that the charity benefits from the employees’ services. The charity has no further liability under the scheme.

k) Cash and cash equivalents

These include short-term deposits.

l) Foreign currencies

Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the rate ruling at the date of the transaction. All differences are taken to the Statement of Financial Activities.

m) Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. These are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at the settlement value.

n) Fixed asset investments

Investments are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price. The Statement of Financial Activities includes the net gains and losses arising on revaluation and disposals throughout the year, based on the notification by the investment managers. The charity does not acquire put options, derivatives, or other complex financial instruments. The main form of financial risk faced by The Library is that of volatility in equity markets and investment markets due to wider economic conditions.

17

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

1 Accounting policies (continued)

o) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

p) Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

q) Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

2 Income from donations and legacies

Income from donations and legacies
The Wiener Library Endowment Trust
Sigrid Rausing Trust
Association of Jewish Refugees
Pears Foundation
Grants & Donations
Donations marking 90th Anniversary
Legacies		 2024
Total
£
220,000
120,000
50,000
35,000
261,984
309,440
2,000		 2023
Total
£
220,000
120,000
75,000
30,000
267,377
27,678
13,500
998,424 753,555

All income from donations and legacies are unrestricted.

Education & Outreach Funds
Library & Collections Funds
Research Funds		 Unrestricted
£
-
25,706
-		 £
218,975
315,709
485,605
Restricted		 2024
Total
£
218,975
341,415
485,605		 Unrestricted
£
-
26,335
-		 £
75,582
312,971
274,385
Restricted		 2023
Total
£
75,582
339,306
274,385
25,706 1,020,289 1,045,995 26,335 662,938 689,273

Detailed breakdown of income from charitable activities in note 17.

4 Income from investments

Income from investments
Bank interest
Dividends		 Unrestricted
£
29,684
-		 Endowment
£
33,952
34,129		 2024
Total
£
63,636
34,129		 Unrestricted
£
33,588
-		 Endowment
£
-
19,567		 2023
Total
£
33,588
19,567
29,684 68,081 97,765 33,588 19,567 53,155

18

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

5a Analysis of expenditure (current year)

Restricted and Expendable Endowment Funds
Staff
Security
Overhead
Projects
Total Restricted
Unrestricted Funds
Staff
Security
Overhead
Depreciation
Operations
Total Unrestricted
Total costs 2024
Total costs 2023		 Fundraising
£
-
-
-
-		 Education &
Outreach
£
146,049
-
2,898
127,196		 Library
£
216,751
-
103
116,710		 Research
£
136,957
-
25,593
243,236		 Premises &
IT
£
-
24,106
-
-
24,106
-
23,714
155,840
64,943
73,145
317,642
341,748
285,527		 Support
£
-
-
-
-		 Governance
£
49,135
-
-
-		 2024
Total
£
548,892
24,106
28,594
487,142		 2023
Total
£
499,497
-
29,262
376,650
-
58,191
-
-
-
142,322		 276,143
24,242
-
2,841
-
11,062		 333,564
157,113
-
15,379
-
10,101		 405,786
72,733
-
-
-
285		 -
38,523
-
-
-
35,745		 49,135
57,573
-
-
-
33,327		 1,088,734
408,375
23,714
174,060
64,943
305,987		 905,409
342,262
-
187,153
65,872
186,714
200,513 38,145 182,593 73,018 74,268 90,900 977,079 782,001
200,513 314,288 516,157 478,804 74,268 140,035 2,065,813 1,687,410
86,454 230,972 525,015 357,340 167,057 35,045

19

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

5b Analysis of expenditure (prior year)

Fundraising
£
Restricted and Expendable Endowment Funds
Staff
-
Overhead
-
Projects
-
Total Restricted
-
Unrestricted Funds
Staff
52,043
Overhead
-
Depreciation
-
Operations
34,411
Total Unrestricted
86,454
Total costs 2023
86,454		 Education &
Outreach
£
114,617
3,738
80,044
198,399
23,514
-
-
9,059
32,573
230,972		 Library
£
234,070
629
126,607
361,306
97,197
27,251
-
39,261
163,709
525,015		 Research
£
150,810
24,895
169,999
345,704
11,636
-
-
-
11,636
357,340		 Premises &
IT
£
-
-
-
-
-
159,902
65,872
59,753
285,527
285,527		 Support
£
-
-
-
-
144,567
-
-
22,490
167,057
167,057		 Governance
2023
Total
£
£
-
499,497
-
29,262
-
376,650
-
905,409
13,305
342,262
-
187,153
-
65,872
21,740
186,714
35,045
782,001
35,045
1,687,410

20

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

6 Net income for the year

This is stated after charging:

This is stated after charging:
2024 2023
£ £
Depreciation 64,914 65,870
Auditor's remuneration Fee (excluding VAT):
Audit 20,760 19,662
Other 2,000 -

7 Analysis of staff costs, trustee remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel

Staff costs were as follows:

Staff costs were as follows:
Gross Salaries
Employer's NI
Employer's Pension
Redundancy
Staff costs
Temporary Staff		 2024
£
804,046
76,251
68,412
485		 2023
£
714,928
65,023
60,766
1,042
949,194
8,073		 841,759
6,814
957,267 848,573

No member of the Board received any remuneration in 2024 (2023: nil), and no Trustee was reimbursed expenses in 2024 (2023: £39).

One employee received emoluments in the band of £60,000 to £70,000 in the year (2023: one).

The Senior Management Team (SMT) comprised: Director, Head of Research & Deputy Director, Head of Collections, and Senior Curator & Head of Collections. Gross compensation in 2024 was £261,141 (2023: £240,840).

8 Staff numbers

The average monthly headcount during the year was:

Charitable Activities
Raising funds
Support & Governance		 2024
No.
1.5
20.5
2.0		 2023
No.
1.0
21.0
2.0
24.0 24.0

21

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

9 Related party transactions

No donations were received during the year from trustees (2023: £1,500 from three trustees). Frank Harding is a Trustee of the Association of Jewish Refugees from whom a grant of £50,000 was received in 2024 (2023: £75,000). Howard Lewis is a Director of the Schorr Collection, who have made a long-term loan of collections items to the Library, and Daniel Peltz is a Governor of Birkbeck College London University who are the owners of 29 Russell Square, on which the Library has a 100 year lease.

10 Taxation

The Wiener Holocaust Library is a registered charity and is not liable to direct taxation on its present activities.

11 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets
At the end of the year
Net book value
Depreciation
At the end of the year
Cost
At the start of the year
At the end of the year
At the start of the year
Charge for the year
At the start of the year
Additions in year		 Leasehold
Property
£
2,659,583
-		 Mechanical
& Electrical
Equipment
£
752,366
-		 Computer
Equipment
£
94,432
-		 Fixtures &
Fittings
£
96,286
148,218		 Total
£
3,602,667
148,218
2,659,583 752,366 94,432 244,504 3,750,885
354,237
26,684		 488,758
37,620		 94,226
206		 94,197
404		 1,031,418
64,914
380,921 526,378 94,432 94,601 1,096,332
2,278,662 225,988 - 149,903 2,654,553
2,305,346 263,608 206 2,089 2,571,249

All of the above assets are used for charitable purposes.

22

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

12 Heritage Assets

The principal asset of The Library is the invaluable and extensive collection of rare materials which document the prelude to, the atrocities of, and the aftermath of the Holocaust, as well as select other genocides. It includes personal and other testimonies and photographs, documents and books that establish the facts, illustrate, contain research on and serve as source material on the era, broadly from the early 1920’s onward.

The Library is regarded as the leading collection of this type in the United Kingdom and holds materials considered to be of national and international importance.

The Trustees believe that the holdings are exceptional as an asset: inalienable, unique, irreplaceable, historic, and fragile. In this regard, it is an asset that cannot be readily valued in a way and at a cost commensurate with any benefit that could be derived by the user of the financial statements.

Charities SORP (FRS 102) requires the recognition of cost or market value when reasonably obtainable. Trustees are of the opinion that donations over the years of almost always family archives cannot reasonably be valued. In addition, Trustees believe that the scope of the collection be it in number of collections, sub-archives, counts of documents, photographs or pages is not quantifiable. As a result, The Library does not carry a value for Heritage Assets on the balance sheet.

Acquisitions . Thanks to the generosity of a Restricted Fund donor, The Library purchases annually up to £30k of academic books and rare books and pamphlets, up to £8k of mostly current periodical subscriptions such as academic journals, and up to £1k for archival collections including photographs. Acquisitions are made in accordance with the Library’s Collection Development Protocol.

Conservation. Preserving the collections for the present and future generations remains the primary focus and responsibility of the Library. Their conservation, security, display, and interpretation are central to every aspect of the operations and audience access, both onsite and online. Expenditure which is required to preserve or prevent further deterioration of individual collection items, as well as the costs of managing, securing, archiving, digitising and storage of the collection, are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when incurred.

13 Fixed Asset Investments

Fixed Asset Investments
Market value as at 1 January
Unrealised gains
Market value as at 31 December
Listed Investments
Historical Cost as at 31 December		 2024
£
2,992,185
162,849		 2023
£
2,895,351
96,834
3,155,034 2,992,185
2,435,000 2,435,000

Of the investments, £2,244,532 (2023: £2,134,444) are held in open-ended investment companies managed by Troy Asset Management, and £910,503 (2023: £857,741) in open-ended investment companies managed by various managers selected under a discretionary investment mandate by Rathbones' charity team. Capital gains of £107,088 (2023: £96,834) arise from funds managed by Troy and capital gains of £52,762 (2023: £45,991) from funds managed by Rathbones.

23

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

14
15
Other creditors
Trade debtors
Other debtors
Accrued interest
Prepayments
Debtors
Accruals
Accrued income
Deferred income
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors		 2024
£
11,912
552
93,548
14,675
45,570		 2023
£
11,897
2,061
29,081
18,802
39,556
166,257 101,397
2024
£
61,594
23,126
35,000
15,596		 2023
£
-
45,543
-
14,875
135,316 60,418

16a Analysis of net assets between funds (current year)

Tangible fixed assets
Fixed Asset Invesments
Current Assets
Current Liabilities
Net assets at 31 December 2024		 Restricted funds
£
-
910,503
185,121
1,124		 Designated
funds
£
2,654,553
-
175,205
-		 Endowed
funds
£
-
2,244,531
910,969
-		 General
funds
£
-
-
1,242,921
(136,440)		 Total funds
£
2,654,553
3,155,034
2,514,216
(135,316)
1,096,748 2,829,758 3,155,500 1,106,481 8,188,487

16b Analysis of net assets between funds (prior year)

Tangible fixed assets
Fixed Asset Invesments
Current Assets
Current Liabilities
Net assets at 31 December 2023		 Restricted funds
£
-
857,741
251,630
(15,443)		 Designated
funds
£
2,571,249
-
251,310
-		 Endowed
funds
£
-
2,134,444
939,758
-		 General
funds
£
-
-
993,759
(44,976)		 Total funds
£
2,571,249
2,992,185
2,436,457
(60,419)
1,093,928 2,822,559 3,074,202 948,783 7,939,472

24

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

17a
At 1 January
2024
£
23,824
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Subtotal Education & Outreach Funds
23,824
-
-
127,534
-
1,159
-
Subtotal Library/Collections Funds
128,693
19,401
11,274
29,150
13,862
-
-
7,610
-
-
58,525
-
Subtotal Research
139,822
Hecht Collections Fund
German Foreign Office Grant
Digitial Transformation Project
NLHF Digital Transformation
Yizkor Book Project
Paul Plaut/Digital Project
Research
Hecht Exhibitions
Exhibition: WHL@90
Fraenkel Prize Fund
ITS Fund
ITS Roadshow Fund
Beyond Camps Fund
HGRP Joint Venture Fund
Hecht Research Fund
Holocaust Education & Holocaust Explained
Education & Outreach
Movements in funds (current year)
Restricted funds:
Education & Outreach
Claims Conference: Jewish Elders Project
CST Security Grant
Symphonova Project: Victims' Compositions
EHRI-IP Fund
EHRI III Fund
Library/Collections
Exhibition: Genocidal Captivity
Exhibition: Refurbishment
Exhibition: Fred Kormis
Exhibition: Library of Lost Books
Exhibition: Rohingya Photos		 At 1 January
2024
£
23,824
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Income &
gains
£
41,823
-
-
-
10,402
100,000
66,750
-
-		 Expenditure
& losses
£
(53,648)
(56,996)
(32,955)
(721)
(10,420)
(27,889)
(66,750)
(1,666)
(1,800)		 Transfers
£
-
56,996
32,955
721
18
(72,111)
-
1,666
1,800		 At 31
December
2024
£
11,999
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
23,824 218,975 (252,845) 22,045 11,999
-
-
127,534
-
1,159
-		 -
117,012
96,264
43,386
-
59,047		 (36,937)
(117,012)
(149,761)
(46,643)
-
-		 36,937
-
-
2,099
-
-		 -
-
74,037
(1,158)
1,159
59,047
128,693 315,709 (350,353) 39,036 133,085
-
294,480
-
-
-
-
10,654
3,735
23,209
153,527
-		 (5,000)
(163,018)
(21,940)
(200)
(2,325)
(16,608)
(7,925)
(20,107)
(31,792)
(160,041)
(6,261)		 -
-
-
-
2,325
16,608
-
-
6,397
-
-		 14,401
142,736
7,210
13,662
-
-
10,339
(16,372)
(2,186)
52,011
(6,261)
139,822 485,605 (435,217) 25,330 215,540

25

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

17a Movements in funds (current year continued)

Subtotal General and Inactive Funds
Total Restricted Funds
Total endowments funds
Total fixed assets funds
Total designated funds
General funds
Property Maintenance
Unrestricted funds:
Designated funds:
Ann Hirshfield Australian Jewish History
B'nai B'rith Leo Baeck Lodge Fund
Wellcome Science & Suffering Fund
Hecht Events
Hecht Networking
Project "Final Account"
Total funds
Total unrestricted funds
Redevelopment & Refit
Infrastructure Repair
General and Inactive Funds
"First Do No Harm" podcast
Ukraine Project
Sefer Torah Scroll
Kitchener Camp
Hecht Endowment Fund
Digitisation
Endowments
Catalyst: Endowment Fund
Holocaust Educational Endowment (SCWL)
Fixed Assets (non-cash funds)
Mechanical & Electrical
Other Fixed Assets
Leasehold Property		 At 1 January
2024
£
4,545
31,026
2,361
-
-
8,750
16,589
15,190
1,974
1,260
719,896		 Income &
gains
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
52,761		 Expenditure
& losses
£
(4,322)
-
-
-
(8,327)
-
-
-
(2,000)
-
-		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
8,327
-
-
(15,000)
26
-
(96,932)		 At 31
December
2024
£
223
31,026
2,361
-
-
8,750
16,589
190
-
1,260
675,725
801,591 52,761 (14,649) (103,579) 736,124
1,093,928 1,073,050 (1,053,064) (17,168) 1,096,748
2,174,202
900,000		 144,217
33,952		 -
(35,670)		 (61,201)
-		 2,257,218
898,282
3,074,202 178,169 (35,670) (61,201) 3,155,500
263,608
2,294
2,305,346		 -
-
-		 (37,620)
(609)
(26,684)		 -
148,218
-		 225,988
149,903
2,278,662
2,571,249 - (64,913) 148,218 2,654,553
114,350
66,960
20,000
50,000		 -
-
-
-		 -
-
-
-		 (26,105)
-
-
(50,000)		 88,245
66,960
20,000
-
251,310 - - (76,105) 175,205
948,783 1,063,608 (912,166) 6,256 1,106,481
3,771,342 1,063,608 (977,079) 78,369 3,936,239
7,939,472 2,314,827 (2,065,813) - 8,188,487

The narrative to explain the purpose of each fund is given at the foot of the note below.

26

The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

17b Movements in funds (prior year)

Movements in funds (prior year)
Subtotal Education & Outreach Funds
Subtotal Library/Collections Funds
Subtotal Research
Subtotal General and Inactive Funds
Total Restricted Funds
Total endowments funds
Exhibition: WHL@90
Hecht Publications
Hecht Networking
Roma Genocide Conference
Ukraine Projects
B'nai B'rith Leo Baeck Lodge
Research
ITS
Hecht Legacy
Endowments
Catalyst: Endowment Fund
Holocaust Educational Endowment (SCWL)
General and Inactive Funds
ITS Roadshow
Hecht Research
HRGP Joint Venture
EHRI-PP
EHRI III
Yizkor Book Project
First Do Not Harm podcast
Kitchener Camp Project
Symphanova Victims Compositions
Library/Collections
Auswärtiges Amt (German Foreign Office)
Hecht Collections
Digitial Transformation Project
Project "Final Account"
Sefer Torah Scroll Restoration
Claims Conf: Jewish Elders Project
Exhibition: Fighting Antisemitism
Education & Outreach
Exhibition: Family Letters
Exhibition: Family Photographs
Birkbeck Beyond Camps
Fraenkel Prize
Ann Hirshfield Australian Jewish History
Wellcome Science & Suffering
Holocaust Education & Holocaust Explained
Education & Outreach
Restricted funds:		 At 1 January
2023
£
22,187
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,250
-
24,401
4,545
2,361		 Income &
gains
£
42,550
100
8,042
5,500
-
2,430
-
682
2,171
14,107
-
-
-		 Expenditure
& losses
£
(40,913)
(83,929)
-
(28,703)
(1,235)
(11,952)
(9,625)
(4,140)
(3,858)
(245)
(5,000)
-
-		 Transfers
£
-
83,829
757
23,203
1,235
9,522
9,625
3,458
437
-
-
-
-		 At 31
December
2023
£
23,824
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13,862
19,401
4,545
2,361
54,744 75,582 (189,600) 132,066 63,993
-
-
140,958
15,050
15,000
31,026
-
-		 122,010
-
188,797
-
190
-
1,974
-		 (122,010)
(28,224)
(202,222)
(6,300)
-
-
-
(2,550)		 -
28,224
-
-
-
-
-
2,550		 -
-
127,533
8,750
15,190
31,026
1,974
-
202,034 312,971 (361,306) 30,774 184,473
78,539
28,754
-
-
39,925
19,947
-
4,089
-
-		 71,600
27,369
-
-
-
616
1,159
15,000
1,260
157,381		 (138,865)
(26,973)
(22,233)
(749)
(42,575)
(12,953)
-
(2,500)
-
(98,856)		 -
-
22,233
749
2,650		 11,274
29,150
-
-
-
7,610
1,159
16,589
1,260
58,525
171,254 274,385 (345,704) 25,632 125,567
775,461 45,991 - (101,556) 719,896
775,461 45,991 - (101,556) 719,896
1,203,493 708,929 (896,610) 86,916 1,093,928
2,188,058
-		 70,410
900,000		 -
-		 (84,266) 2,174,202
900,000
2,188,058 970,410 - (84,266) 3,074,202

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The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

17b Movements in funds (prior year continued)

Total fixed assets funds
Total designated funds
General funds
Total funds
Designated funds:
Property Maintenance
Redevelopment & Refit
Infrastructure Repair
Digitalisation
Total unrestricted funds
Unrestricted funds:
Fixed Assets (non-cash funds)
Mechanical & Electrical
Other Fixed Assets
Leasehold Property		 At 1 January
2023
£
301,226
3,682
2,332,210		 Income &
gains
£
-
-
-		 Expenditure
& losses
£
(37,618)
(1,388)
(26,864)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-		 At 31
December
2023
£
263,608
2,294
2,305,346
2,637,118 - (65,870) - 2,571,249
94,350
66,960
20,000
100,000		 -
-
-
-		 -
-
-
-		 20,000
-
-
(50,000)		 114,350
66,960
20,000
50,000
281,310 - - (30,000) 251,310
805,710 831,854 (716,131) 27,350 948,783
3,724,138 831,854 (782,001) (2,650) 3,771,342
7,115,689 2,511,193 (1,678,611) - 7,939,472

17c Purposes of restricted funds

The ‘Hecht Legacy’ is part of a £1,000,000 grant from the Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation, received in 2020 and intended to be spent over about ten years. This fund supports research, exhibitions, events, publications, and networking to further the outreach of The Library. It also supports extending The Library’s collection of books, periodicals, photographs, and other material.

Education and Outreach Funds

The ‘Holocaust Explained Fund’ supports The Library’s education programme and specifically the Holocaust Explained website, and is supported by the Tolkien Trust, the Wingate Foundation, and others.

During 2024 we received generous funding to enable us to refurbish our exhibition space. This in turn facilitated a major exhibition on the life and works of Fred Kormis, for which further generous funding was received from an anonymous donor.

Each of our major Exhibitions is treated as an individual restricted fund for its duration, to protect any grants given for a specific exhibition. When externally-raised funds are not sufficient for a specific exhibition, it is funded from the general Education and Outreach fund, which in turn is supported by the Catalyst T.Schiff Endowment.

Other Education & Outreach funds include the ‘Wellcome Science & Suffering Fund,’ and the ‘Kitchener Camp Fund’, which did not have activity during the year.

Library and Collections Funds

The Federal Government of Germany has for several decades been a vital supporter of The Library, part-funding the salaries of several members of the Collections team. Until 2022 this was treated as part of Unrestricted funds, but since 2023 this has been treated as a Restricted fund.

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The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

17c Purposes of restricted funds (continued)

The ‘Digital Transformation Fund’ was established in 2020 through generous grants from two donors. In 2022 and early 2023 this was subsidised with proceeds from the Big Give Campaign. The fund is the founding endowment for a five-year programme to digitise substantial parts of The Library’s collections. This work is now being supplemented by work funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund funding both archiving and digitisation work, and outreach based on our collections. We also received funding in 2024 from a private donor for digitisation relating specifically to the work of Paul Plaut.

Restoration work on a Sefer Torah scroll was undertaken by specialists, funded by a crowdfunding campaign in 2023.

Inactive funds, reserved for specific collections purposes, include funds raised for a project relating to Yizkor Books, and funds related to the B’nai B’rith Leo Baeck Lodge.

The European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI) has transformed from a series of EU-funded projects into an international permanent organisation, EHRI-ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium). The EHRI-3 fund deepens integration of the archives and research, while the EHRI-IP (Implementation Phase) facilitates the conversion of the created infrastructure into the permanent institution.

The ‘International Tracing Service (ITS) Fund’ supports the management, research, hardware, and software of this service retrieving information from the Arolsen Archives database about the fate of victims of the Holocaust. The Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government provide funding for this project, and we also committed the 2024 Big Give funds to this project and other family research projects. It has been supplemented in 2023 and 2024 by funds from a private donor for a Recovery and Repair Roadshow undertaken by ITS staff, taking workshops around the country to introduce new communities to the research and support offered by this project.

During 2024, the Ann Hirshfield Jewish History Fund was used to fund a researcher providing on-site training on the use of the Arolsen Archives to Australian researchers and users.

The ‘Fraenkel Prize Fund’ is a legacy from the Estate of Ernst Fraenkel OBE, which supports an annual prize for booklength academic manuscripts on relevant subjects by authors who have published no more than two books.

The ‘Beyond Camps Fund’, received from Birkbeck, University of London, runs ‘Beyond Camps’ conferences, related publications and an associated website.

The “Jewish Elders” project, funded by the Claims Conference, is a research project comprising workshops and conferences to culminate in a publication relating to the experiences of Jewish Elders in the Third Reich.

The Community Security Trust (CST) provides the Library with funding to contribute to our expenditure on security, both in improvements to our infrastructure, and on security staff.

The Holocaust and Genocide Research Partnership is a partnership between the Library and the Holocaust Research Institute at Royal Holloway University of London, aiming to bridge the gap between new research and public engagement. Its work at the Library is predominantly funded from the Hecht funds.

A three-year project in conjunction with Symphonova, “Reawakening Suppressed Music”, is recording and performing compositions by Jewish composers, and other works that were banned for non-musical reasons during the Holocaust.

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The Wiener Holocaust Library

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2024

Purposes of endowement funds

The ‘Catalyst T. Schiff Endowment’ was created by donations from the Toni Schiff Memorial Fund and others, matched by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Catalyst perpetuates The Library’s learning, engagement, and community programmes, primarily through an Education & Outreach Fund as well as by supporting Exhibition Funds. The fund is “expendable” in that income and capital are applied for these purposes, subject to Trustee approval and to a fund life extending to 2037.

The Holocaust Educational Endowment was endowed by SCWL during 2023. Of the total, £400,000 is expendable for providing public access to the Library’s collection, including digitisation. The other £500,000 is a long-term endowment.

Purposes of designated funds

The designated Leasehold Property Fund and Other Fixed Assets Fund represent the net book value of tangible fixed assets held. More details are provided in the tangible fixed assets schedule and note to the accounts.

The designated Property Maintenance Fund is used to pay for the periodic maintenance of the building required under the lease, and was partially used this year to fund part of the Exhibition Refurbishment, as this project will mean redecoration of the Exhibition Space will not be needed at the same time as the next redecoration.

The designated Redevelopment and Refit Fund was established by Trustees in 2021 as seed funding for future expansion works.

The Infrastructure Repair Fund was established during 2022 to build up a reserve for the replacement of the building’s roof, anticipated in 2027 at a cost of £100,000.

The designated Digitisation Fund was created at the commencement of the Digital Transformation Project to ensure that if funding for that project was not available in later years, the project could continue. Since continued funding has been obtained, the Board chose to un-designate these funds to support the Exhibition space refurbishment.

Transfers between funds

During the refurbishment of the exhibition space, £148,218 of capital expenditure was undertaken. This was funded partly by generous grants towards the refurbishment, partly by the re-designation of the original Designated Digitisation Fund (see note 14.3), and partly from the Designated Property Maintenance Fund. Transfers between Unrestricted funds are made to create and maintain designated funds at the discretion of Trustees. Transfers from the Endowed Funds to Restricted funds, approved by Trustees, are primarily to fund Education and Outreach activities and exhibitions.

18 Legal status of the charity

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1.

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE WIENER HOLOCAUST LIBRARY

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Wiener Holocaust Library (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet, statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on The Wiener Holocaust Library’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

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Independent auditor’s report to the members of The Wiener Holocaust Library

Other Information

The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ annual report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

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Independent auditor’s report to the members of The Wiener Holocaust Library

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the statement of trustees’ responsibilities set out in the trustees’ annual report, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud are set out below.

Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities

In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, our procedures included the following:

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Independent auditor’s report to the members of The Wiener Holocaust Library

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company's members as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Noelia Serrano (Senior statutory auditor)

30 October 2025

for and on behalf of Sayer Vincent LLP, Statutory Auditor 110 Golden Lane, LONDON, EC1Y 0TG

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