The politics of memory: the role of the children of Holocaust survivors

Abstract

The Holocaust represented humanities first confrontation with unparalleled destruction and evil unchecked. It continues to impact upon the lives of survivors, their children- the second generation- and generations thereafter. The study aimed to provide the second generation with a voice. Their roles within their respective family systems and the impact of the Holocaust upon them are explored.

The theoretical framework is social constructionism. One-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted with three adults whose parent/s are survivors. The manner of analysis was `Hermeneutic.'

The participants' narratives took the form of interview transcripts. These were analysed and themed by the researcher. Themes that repeated themselves were elaborated upon and later linked with the available literature.

The researcher hopes that the dissertation will contribute to existing research on the multigenerational effects of trauma in relation to familial and individual roles and memory.