Date: Tue, 3 Oct 1995 11:55:00 CDT Reply-To: H-Net History of the Holocaust List [[email protected]] Sender: H-Net History of the Holocaust List [[email protected]] From: "Mott, Jim" [[email protected]] Subject: Re: Holocaust Survivor Story
From: Amcha [[email protected]]
Dear Friends,
The posting about the Holocaust survivor story posed some interesting questions, and at the risk of incitement of the many historians who participate in this list, let me offer you our outlook on survivor testimonies. To us at AMCHA who help survivors record their stories–before,during, and after the Holocaust either in writing, video or audio, as they prefer, we are not looking for historical accuracy. We are interested in helping the survivor relate what he/she remembers. It is possible that there are some minor or major inaccuracies, exaggerations, or distortions. Whereas we do not analyze the testimonies, we feel that the important elements relate to what the survivor wants to convey through his story.
The student described may have read something as described, true or fictional, or may have imagined it,or actually interviewed a survivor who conveyed pieces of the (embellished) story. The question I would ask is what is the student, and perhaps the survivor trying to communicate. All the best for 5756,
John Lemberger,
Executive Director, AMCHA
National Israeli Center for Psyhcosocial Support of Survivors of the Holocaust
and the Second Generation
Source: H-Holocaust H-Net Discussion List
www.h-net.org/~holoweb/logs/Oct95.html