Holocaust Survivors Share Their Stories
If you are interested in modern Jewish history, one great resource to help you gain a broader understanding and perspective would be to dive into to the treasure trove of first hand witness accounts in the form of memoirs journals and letters, many of which are available to the public at Holocaust Remembrance centers and foundations worldwide. After surviving the brutal concentration camps in Europe during World War II, many Jewish people migrated to Israel and North America. For this reason, finding a Holocaust survivor story that has been recorded directly in the English language is very common. The survivors reveal some of the horrible conditions they suffered in Nazi camps giving a first person “on the ground” perspective on what life was like in these places. Some of the survivors focus on the liberation of the concentration camps by the Soviet, American and other allied forces. The stories shed light on the heroic efforts and compassionate actions of the soldiers who finally opened the gates at the detention centers that held millions of innocent Jewish prisoners throughout the war. Unfortunately, only small populations of Jewish inmates survived the concentration camps however many of them went on to form vibrant and flourishing Jewish communities in places like the US and Israel.
Life Before and After the Holocaust
As you read or listen to Holocaust survivor stories whether in the form of books, journals, or memoirs, you will begin to get a much more personal and intimate understanding of Jewish life in Europe before and after World War II. Some of the survivors enthusiastically talk about their happy childhoods in major European cities where in the prewar years no body could have ever predicted what was to come. However, some Jewish survivors also share their memories about a growing tide of anti-semitism in the years leading to WWII that in retrospect shows that the seeds of terrible violence, though dormant, were present in the culture none the less.
Visit www.zachorfoundation.org to find holocaust survivor stories from the ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation.
