Holocaust Survivors Research Articles

Gendered Perceptions of Threat and Challenge during Regional Conflict: A Multi-generational Study of Holocaust Survivors and Descendants

Gendered Perceptions of Threat and Challenge during Regional Conflict: A Multi-generational Study of Holocaust Survivors and Descendants

Promoting Transparent and Consistent Frameworks for Interactive Digital Testimonies: A Case Study on Preserving Zilli Schmidt’s Story

Interactive Digital Testimonies (IDTs) combine digital archives of purpose-made recordings, conversational agents, and immersive display technology to preserve and recreate interactive conversations with contemporary witnesses in a lifelike manner. IDTs represent a specific subcategory of (Embodied) Conversational Agents (ECAs) due to the constraint of not including AI-generated or otherwise synthetic responses or actions. While numerous IDTs have been developed over the last few years, the descriptions of these systems and their respective evaluations frequently lack consistency and transparency, which has led to considerable heterogeneity and a lack of comparability. To counteract these developments, we present the IDT of Holocaust survivor and member of the German-speaking Romani community Zilli Schmidt, which we developed since 2021. We transparently share both content-related and technical features of this IDT.

Compensation for National Socialist Persecution as a Catalyst for a Paradigm Shift - A Contribution to the History of Psychiatry in the Early Federal Republic of Germany

After WW II, Holocaust survivors often faced negative assessments by German psychiatrists when claiming compensation for psychological damage, a fact that was met with criticism. This study examines how as a result the prevailing doctrine on trauma sequelae underwent a transformation. Academic contributions in German language from 1946 to 1969 are analyzed for their para-digmatic views on the etiology of mental disorders after war and Nazi persecution. Only a new generation of psychiatrists was able to develop more adequate psychotraumatological concepts by using anthropological and occasionally psychoanalytic theoretical elements. At the same time this also questioned the medically oriented concept of illness in psychiatry. Less the persistence of anti-Semitic sentiments but rather internal scientific reasons such as an unevidenced dogmatism obstructed the the advancement of science.

The importance of the feeling of isolation and loneliness among French Holocaust survivors after the 7 October terrorist attack

IntroductionThe 7 October terrorist attack in southern Israel and the increase in anti-Semitic acts have had a significant impact on the mental health of Holocaust survivors (HS), with some experiencing feelings of isolation and loneliness associated with an increased risk of mortality. The main objective of our work was to assess the incidence and intensity of perceived stress among French HS suffering from feelings of isolation and loneliness following the 7 October attack. The secondary objective was to determine the impact on health and to establish a link with the Holocaust period. Materials and methodsThe study was conducted between 30 October and 15 December 2023 among HS living in France who were contacted by mail through HS support organisations. They completed a questionnaire that included sociodemographic data and experiences during the Holocaust, an assessment of perceived stress using the PSS-10 scale, the presence or absence of feelings of isolation and loneliness, and health consequences and reactions to the 7 October attacks. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 21.0, with Mann-Whitney tests, chi-squared and Student's t-tests used to compare HS experiencing loneliness and isolation with those not experiencing loneliness and isolation, with a p-value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results94 respondents completed the questionnaire, of whom 29 (30.5 %) were men. The HS had a mean PSS-10 score of 17.7 ± 6.0 (min 5 - max 35). Thirty (31.6 %) reported feeling isolated or alone after the 7 October massacre. Those who felt isolated or alone were more likely to feel that they had no support from those around them (73.3 % vs. 19.7 % p < 0.05). The PSS10 scores of HS suffering from isolation and loneliness were significantly higher than those of other HS (21.2 ± 5.2 vs. 16.0 ± 6.2, p ≤ 0.05). After the 7 October massacre, 93.3 % of HS suffering from loneliness and isolation felt that their Holocaust experience had reawakened their vulnerability, especially aggravated health problems (34 %). They tend to think about the Holocaust period more often (96.7 % vs. 80.3 %, p ≤ 0.05) and are significantly more worried about the future of their children and grandchildren as Jews (93.3 % vs. 77.0 %, p ≤ 0.05). ConclusionThis is the first study to assess the importance of stress among HS, particularly those suffering from loneliness and isolation, following the 7 October terrorist attack. It highlights the importance of implementing intervention programmes to support the last eyewitnesses of the Holocaust period.

“She never complained or questioned”: the devaluation of Helene Papanek’s unpublished autobiography

ABSTRACT Helene Papanek, an Austrian Jewish refugee and psychiatrist, enabled the achievements of her husband, Ernst Papanek, known for rescuing Jewish children from France during World War II. This article explores Helene’s unpublished autobiography, dismissed as inaccurate by her son and daughter-in-law after her death. I highlight the gendered dynamics of memory, trauma, and narrative authority, emphasizing the challenges faced by female Holocaust survivors in writing and publishing their testimonies. I call for the acknowledgement of the often-invisible sacrifices of women like Helene, whose contributions to history and memory have been overshadowed by the more celebrated figures they supported.

Amplified psychological reaction to civil unrest among Holocaust survivor descendants.

The evidence regarding the intergenerational effects of the Holocaust points to a heightened sensitivity to traumatic and stressful events, as well as to threats. These effects were found across at least three generations: the survivors themselves, their children, and their grandchildren. More specifically, this sensitivity is manifested in increased psychological reactions to adverse circumstances, especially when such situations trigger associations with the Holocaust. During 2023 Israel has experienced unprecedented civil unrest and protests following the government's plan to promote a judicial overhaul. Many expressed fears for Israeli democracy and the integrity of the social fabric in Israel. The current study examined how Holocaust descendants (i.e., children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors) experienced this prolonged social unrest. A web-based random sample of 706 Israeli Jews born after World War II completed questionnaires several months before the unrest began (Wave 1, 2022) and seven months into the unrest (Wave 2, 2023). Supporting most of our hypotheses, Holocaust descendants reported higher civil unrest salience (i.e., more preoccupation with the political and social upheaval) relative to comparison descendants (i.e., children and grandchildren of those not directly exposed to the Holocaust). Relative to comparison descendants, Holocaust descendants were also at a greater risk of reporting exacerbation in anxiety since the judicial overhaul was introduced, but not in depression or somatisation symptoms. Results remained significant after controlling Wave 1 distress level, background characteristics, level of engagement in civil unrest, and participants' viewpoint on the judicial overhaul. The findings further corroborate unique reactions to stress among Holocaust descendants, this time by highlighting increased preoccupation and increased exacerbation in anxiety during a period of prolonged political and social turmoil.

Barter, Prostitution, Abuse? Reframing Experiences of Sexual Exchange during the Holocaust

ABSTRACT Early postwar narratives by Holocaust survivors contained many descriptions of sexual exchange, sexual coercion, and sexual violence. However, Holocaust scholars have hardly investigated these experiences until the mid-1990s. And although their inquiry has grown considerably since, the ways in which researchers deal with experiences of sexual exchange remain problematic. Well into the 1970s, sexual barter between women and men was generally thought of as either sexual promiscuity or as prostitution. To counter this, feminist scholars since the late 1980s have stressed the structural power imbalance present in such sexual exchanges. Yet while the assessment has shifted significantly, the issue remains complicated due to the often unclear and hierarchical nature of such transactional relationships, obscuring the line between sexual consent and coercion. This article discusses two challenges central for scholarship on sexual barter: how to conceive of consent and choice when survival is at stake, and how to reconcile divergent interpretations if the researcher’s assessment differs from that of the survivor. It does so by examining sex and sexual exchange in the works of two female survivors – Olga Lengyel’s Five Chimneys: The Story of Auschwitz and Molly Applebaum’s Buried Words. A consideration of sexual exchange in these two works and their respective reception, alongside scholarly work on sexual barter, allows for an analysis of the changes in the understanding of this subject and highlights the challenges that it continues to present.

Ir ort oyf der velt/ Her place in the world.Irena Klepfisz’s Secular Jewish Identity

This study explores the concept of Jewish secularism through the works of Irena Klepfisz, a Polish-born, New York-based Jewish poet. Rooted in the Jewish workers’ party, the Bund, activein the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Klepfi sz’s identity and poetry are examined against thebackdrop of Jewish history, secularism, and feminism. Her unique notion of secular Jewish identity,shaped by her Bundist upbringing, Holocaust trauma, and engagement with post-war feministmovements, is highlighted. Klepfisz’s poetry, especially her 1986 essay “Secular Jewish Identity”,serves as a focal point, illustrating the role of literary scholarship in forming a post-war Jewishsecular identity. This identity is enriched by her experiences as a Holocaust survivor, feminist,and lesbian. The study aims to present Klepfisz’s version of contemporary secular Jewish identity,offering insights into how her readers might resonate with her radical blend of secularism, feminism,and Jewish cultural heritage.

Shaping and Reshaping Primo Levi: The Affiliative Postgeneration Biographic Novel

ABSTRACT Since 2005, Italy has witnessed a boom in the production of graphic life narratives dedicated to both well-known, internationally established public figures and victims of Italy’s post-war history, whose memory has only recently started to be negotiated. Some of these figures have even inspired several artists, who have approached the life narrative genre from different angles. A particularly striking case is that of Primo Levi, whose life and works are the subject of three graphic narratives. In this article, we explore the extent to which these narratives address the complex figure of Primo Levi and how the multimodal medium of the graphic narrative can extend the transgenerational reach of postmemory by negotiating the memory of first-generation Holocaust survivors.

LeDiT – Learning with digital testimonies: Holocaust education 2.0

The decline in knowledge about World War II and the Holocaust, coupled with increasing discrimination and populism, highlights the urgent need for innovative educational approaches. Abba Naor, a Jewish Holocaust survivor, has devoted his life to sharing his experiences, emphasizing the significance of historical learning to prevent future atrocities. The project "Learning with digital testimonies" (LeDiT) seeks to preserve Naor's memories and broaden their accessibility through interactive digital testimonies.Naor's interactive digital testimony offers an immersive and easily accessible means of engaging with a Holocaust survivor, vital for future generations who will not have the opportunity for in-person interactions. Originally recorded in German, the international version with English subtitles now allows users from around the world to ask a Holocaust survivor questions and learn about their personal stories. Implications of the project extend beyond educational settings in schools, with potential applications in museums, memorials, and online platforms dedicated to Holocaust education. Ongoing research aims to understand cross-cultural and generational perspectives on Holocaust education. Thus, interactive digital testimonies not only preserve the memories of survivors but also facilitate meaningful connections to historical events, fostering empathy and collective action against discrimination. Keywords 0Holocaust, memory, testimony, chatbot, Holocaust education, audiovisual translation, subtitling, interactive digital testimony

On listening to a Holocaust survivor (or not): a case study of Vera Karoly

ABSTRACT This article explores power relations in gathering Holocaust survivor life stories. Through the case study of Slovakian Jewish survivor, Vera Karoly, it asks whether her testimony was given or taken. Using Hank Greenspan’s work as its inspiration, it contemplates the various forms of testimony and cultural production that were produced relating to Vera. The author himself is part of that process and it includes a reflexive approach to how he confronted the Holocaust. The ethical issues raised when a Holocaust survivor is reluctant to give testimony are to the fore, analyzing in this case how it led to a form of counter-memorial to the (im)possibility of speaking about the Shoah.

‘As Agi used to say’: on knowing (with) Holocaust survivors

‘As Agi used to say’: on knowing (with) Holocaust survivors

Beyond testimony: early recounting and active listening at a boarding school for young Holocaust survivors in Sweden 1946–1948

ABSTRACT Many documentation initiatives and collections of testimonies were initiated in the immediate postwar period. This article delves into one such initiative. It focuses on the practice of early recounting and active listening at boarding school for young Holocaust survivors in Sweden. The article explores, by a close reading of an article authored by one of the teachers and eight full-length essays from the students, both the teacher's perspectives on the young survivors’ need for certain education and emotional assistance and the survivors’ early reflections on the experiences of recounting, education, survival and life the first years after the Holocaust.

Kaddish for unasked questions: on interviewing my father

ABSTRACT This paper explores the author’s interview with her father, a Holocaust survivor. It asks how the circumstances of the interview, particularly the relationship between father, daughter, and gestating grandchild, impacted the exchange. Drawing on Henry Greenspan’s work and mentorship, it examines the grief of an unfinished story. Invoking the metaphor of the Kaddish prayer, she argues that the nature of listening is as contingent as the act of recounting. By centering these multiple contingencies, we can better engage with the complexities and humanity of survivors and their memories, enabling us to keep learning from them even after they are gone.

‘Partners in a conversation’: emotional intimacy and the creation of Holocaust survivor interviews

ABSTRACT The work of Hank Greenspan has provided essential insights for rethinking foundational conceptions and methods of collecting interviews with Holocaust survivors. As Greenspan urges us to consider, not all interviews are alike and there are those that entail sustained and intimate interpersonal connections, often developed over several years between ‘partners in a conversation.’ Greenspan’s emphasis on interviewers and survivors ‘learning together’ underscores the contingent, emotionally intimate, and collaborative aspects of the interview process that are often kept at the margins by Holocaust testimony archives.

Holocaust centrality, anxiety, and other risk factors associated with terror threat salience among descendants of Holocaust survivors

The study examined risk factors for sensitivity to terror threats among descendants of Holocaust survivors (Holocaust G1) during a significant rise in terrorist attacks in Israel. We examined the association of the number of familial Holocaust G1, trauma exposure, probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety symptoms, and Holocaust centrality with terror threat salience (TTS) in children and grandchildren of Holocaust G1 (Holocaust G2; G3). A web-based national sample included 297 Holocaust G2 (Mage=62.95, SD=10.25), 224 comparison G2 (Mage=61.79, SD=10.13), 379 Holocaust G3 (Mage=34.02, SD=8.65) and 171 comparison G3 (Mage=33.55, SD=8.26). Participants completed questionnaires on background characteristics, Holocaust background, trauma exposure, probable PTSD, anxiety symptoms, Holocaust centrality, and TTS. Findings showed that Holocaust G2 and G3 reported higher Holocaust centrality and TTS relative to comparisons, and Holocaust G3 reported higher levels of anxiety than comparison G3. The number of Holocaust G1, background characteristics, Holocaust centrality, and anxiety symptoms were associated with TTS in G2 and G3. Probable PTSD and trauma exposure were also associated with TTS in G2 and G3, respectively. Results highlight Holocaust centrality and anxiety among the factors associated with an increased preoccupation with terror threats in Holocaust descendants. Practitioners should implement interventions focusing on these factors, particularly at times of increased terrorism.

Identity Loss and Reconstruction in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz and Day

Mordecai Richler, a contemporary Canadian Jewish writer, reveals the identity confusion faced by Jewish immigrants in their integration into Canadian society through the description of the life experience of the protagonist Duddy Kravitz in his novel The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1959). Meanwhile, in the novel Day (1961), Elie Wiesel, a contemporary American Jewish writer born in Romania, examines how Holocaust survivors lose their identities and attempt to seek identity reconstruction within the context of traumatic memories and guilt through the perspective of the protagonist, Eliezer. This article aims to interpret the manifestations and reasons for identity loss and the possibility of identity reconstruction of the protagonists Duddy Kravitz and Eliezer based on identity theory. Through interpretation, it can be concluded that Duddy is marginalized by mainstream society and blamed for anti-Semitism within the Jewish community, resulting in a significant identity crisis. However, his success in purchasing land offers the possibility for him to escape marginalization and achieve identity reconstruction in mainstream society. Similarly, Eliezer, as a Holocaust survivor, experiences identity loss under the influence of traumatic memories and feelings of guilt, leading to questioning the existence of God and a death wish. Nevertheless, in the later part of the novel, he transitions from an unnamed narrator to “Eliezer”, and the ashes left after his portrait is burned symbolize his completeness, allowing him to regain self-identity.

A spatial model for the representation of emotional landscapes

AbstractThis article proposes a cartographic solution to represent the emotional landscapes of evasion for a Holocaust survivor, specifically his perceptions of safety or danger during his escape. The victim's emotional landscapes are spatially interpolated using techniques for vectors of both travel direction and magnitude (of perceptions of safety or danger). The implications for the spatial representation of emotions are that emotional landscapes might be better understood by going through an interpolation process, as the statistical analysis reveals spatial trends and autocorrelation. This may help in understanding how the abstract notion of space and the human valence of place vary in relation to each other (or not), and whether and how that variation differs based on distance and direction.

H19 Not only a finder of ‘solutions’: Max Jessner, Holocaust survivor and discoverer of Jessner–Kanof lymphocytic infiltrate

H19 Not only a finder of ‘solutions’: Max Jessner, Holocaust survivor and discoverer of Jessner–Kanof lymphocytic infiltrate

Inquiry on Threats of Evil within the Hostile-World Scenario: Emerging Content and Mental Health Concomitants Among Holocaust Survivors

ABSTRACT Exposure to human evil, referring to malevolent deeds that deliberately inflict suffering or death, can be psychologically traumatic. This study examined self-perceived evil-related threats within the conception of hostile-world scenario (HWS) that signifies one’s mental representation of major threats in life. The study explored whether evil-related threats, along with HWS, differentiated Holocaust survivors from comparisons, and how these concepts related to mental health. Participants were Israelis aged 58–93, including 220 Holocaust survivors and 205 non-Holocaust survivors. Participants completed measures of mental health (neuroticism, positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, depressive symptoms) and HWS. Evil-related threats were assessed by a 7-item Evil Scale separated from the HWS Questionnaire. Evil-related threats contained two factors, fear of human violence and interpersonal distrust, and correlated with lower mental health. With age and gender controlled, Holocaust survivors were higher than comparisons on evil-related threats and negative engagement with HWS. Beyond associations of HWS (in its negative and positive engagement modes) with mental health, evil-related threats related to higher depressive symptoms among survivors. Results suggest that early traumatic experiences related to perceived threats in later life. Evil-related threats complemented the HWS in associating with mental health. The findings bear implications in approaching victims of evil and trauma.