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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
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People File • Journalist

Elisabeth Maxwell

Elisabeth Maxwell (born Elisabeth Jenny Jeanne Meynard; 11 March 1921 – 7 August 2013) was a French-born Holocaust researcher and educator.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Elisabeth Maxwell was a French-born Holocaust researcher and educator. She founded the journal *Holocaust and Genocide Studies* in 1987.

What it is

Elisabeth Maxwell is best known for her work as a Holocaust scholar and for founding the peer-reviewed journal *Holocaust and Genocide Studies* in 1987. She also wrote and edited works on the Holocaust and Jewish-Christian relations.

Why it matters

Her research and advocacy contributed to Holocaust education and interfaith understanding. She devoted much of her later life to these causes, becoming a recognized expert in the field.

Key details

She was born Elisabeth Jenny Jeanne Meynard in France in 1921. She married media tycoon Robert Maxwell in 1945, and they had nine children, including Ghislaine Maxwell. She died in Dordogne, France, in 2013 at age 92.

In short

  • French-born Holocaust researcher and educator.
  • Founded *Holocaust and Genocide Studies* in 1987.
  • Wife of Robert Maxwell and mother of Ghislaine Maxwell.
  • Died in 2013 at age 92.

Quick questions

Who is Elisabeth Maxwell?
Elisabeth Maxwell was a French-born Holocaust researcher and educator who founded *Holocaust and Genocide Studies* in 1987.
How old was Elisabeth Maxwell?
She was 92 when she died on 7 August 2013; she was born on 11 March 1921.
What happened to Elisabeth Maxwell?
She died in Dordogne, France, on 7 August 2013.

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Maxwell
    Supports: Birth name, dates, occupation, marriage, and motherhood of Ghislaine Maxwell.
  2. Jewish Telegraphic Agencyhttps://www.jta.org/2013/08/09/obituaries/holocaust-expert-elisabeth-maxwell-has-died
    Supports: Age at death, Holocaust work, marriage to Robert Maxwell, and death location.
  3. The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/business/media/elisabeth-maxwell-widow-who-reinvented-herself-as-holocaust-expert-dies-at-92.html
    Supports: Death at 92, marriage to Robert Maxwell, family details, and later-life work.
  4. Johns Hopkins University Presshttps://muse.jhu.edu/pub/8/article/533486/pdf
    Supports: Founding of *Holocaust and Genocide Studies* and identification as a Holocaust scholar.
  5. Wikipedia (French)https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Maxwell
    Supports: French obituary-style biographical details, death, and family relationship to Ghislaine Maxwell.