The Clinical Effects of Massive Psychic Trauma in Families of Holocaust Survivors*

Abstract

For years we have been treating numerous concentration camp survivors in the psychiatric clinics and hospitals of Israel. In recent years we have been seeing increasing numbers of the second generation suffering from a wide spectrum of emotional disorders, personality disturbances, borderline and psychotic states which are clearly related to the long‐term effects of massive traumatization in the survivor parents. These effects are manifest in four inter‐related areas of disturbance within the family—the parents' mental state, the family atmosphere, inter‐personal functioning in the family and specific distortions in the parent‐child interaction. Excessive talking about holocaust experiences to children, or the opposite —lack of communication, avoidance and denial of these experiences—are patterns frequently found in the children of survivors who seem to be most affected by the massive traumatization of the parents. It is postulated that therapy of the survivor parents can modify the transmissions of affects to the children. Family therapy is indicated whenever possible.