Saving The Jews

Robert N. Rosen is a shareholder in the Rosen Law Firm in Charleston, South Carolina. He received his B.A. degree in history from the University of Virginia in 1969, his M.A. degree in History from Harvard University in 1970 and his J.D. degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1973. He was admitted to the South Carolina Bar that same year.

Robert N. Rosen Mr. Rosen has served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Charleston and General Counsel for the Charleston County School District. He has served on the Board of Editors of The Family Advocate, a publication of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for more then ten (10) years.

He is the author of A Short History of Charleston, the best selling history of the city; Confederate Charleston: An Illustrated History of the City and the People During the Civil War; The Jewish Confederates, all published by the University of South Carolina Press; and most recently, Charleston: A Crossroads of History with Isabella Leland. His latest book is Saving the Jews: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Holocaust.

Mr. Rosen has served on the boards of the South Carolina Historical Society, the Historic Charleston Foundation, and the American Jewish Historical Society. He was Chairman of the Arts and History Commission of the City of Charleston and President of the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. He is married to Susan Rosen, also a lawyer. The Rosens have three children and live in the historic district in downtown Charleston.

The Jewish Confederates has been called a "clearly and energetically" written "ground breaking study" by Publisher's Weekly, "eye-opening" by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, "comprehensive and readerly" by the New York Times, an "exhaustive study" by the Washington Post. Saving the Jews has been hailed by Arthur M. Schlesinger: "If there is a single book to read on the United States policy toward the Holocaust, this is the one." James McGregor Burns called it "an authoritative analysis," and "indispensable."

Making His Case In History
By Scottie Schwarz Davis

Attorney and native of Charleston, S.C., Robert Rosen thrives on challenges. He has been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America for more than 10 years, published four books, served as president of the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina, and is the chairman of the Arts and History Commission of the City of Charleston. Robert has a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia, a master's in history from Harvard University and a law degree from the University of South Carolina.

Why Roosevelt? “I am particularly fascinated by Roosevelt, the man,” he says. “He was very secretive. In fact, his press corps called him ‘The Sphinx.’”

Despite some contrary opinions, Rosen is adamant that Roosevelt was not anti-Semitic. "He cared deeply about the Jews of Europe and he did everything he reasonably could to save them," he explains about the late president. Rosen’s reason for writing the book is, he says, “to give a truthful version of what happened. That means doing research with a wide-angle lens.”

His research has been meticulous. “I have read everything there is to read about Roosevelt, the Holocaust,World War II and those around Roosevelt,” the 57-year-old bow-tie-wearing Rosen insists. He says one must understand the military history to have the knowledge to ask why those in charge during World War II did or didn't do something. “Then, [the answers are] right there," he exclaims, picking up a book and waving it in the air. “They tell us.”

Rosen developed the ability to “laser in on facts,” as he puts it, while researching his first two historical books about Charleston, where his grandparents settled in the early 1900s. But it was in his third book, “The Jewish Confederates,” published by the University of South Carolina Press in October 2000, that he perfected the art. The book has been acclaimed by Civil War scholars for the little-known information it reveals about the communities, the “Jewish Johnny Rebs” and the general misconceptions about Southern Jews. The Independent Publishers, representing university presses, selected the book for its coveted Award for History in 2001.

Rosen and his wife, Susan, are partners in the Rosen Law Firm in Charleston. “I specialize in divorce, and Susan handles personal injury cases and medical malpractice suits,” he explains and smiles slightly. “It is usually the other way around.” The couple have three children: Annie, Ali and Will. When asked what his next challenge might be, Rosen crosses his arms against his seersucker blazer and pauses before answering. “I guess I'm stuck in American Jewish history,” he says. “I've just gone from one era to another."