Survivor Transitional Narratives of Nazi-Era Destruction

Survivor Narratives and Holocaust Memory examines Holocaust accounts written during the 1960s by three survivors: Jean Améry, an Austrian ex-patriot who joined the Belgian resistance during the war, Vladimir Jankélévitch, a member of the French Resistance, and Simon Wiesenthal, who dedicated his life to investigating Nazi war crimes after the war. Dennis B. Klein draws attention to the importance of the historical context in which these testimonies were written. He considers how the backdrop of the 1960s, Nazi war trials, and Nazi amnesty legislation influenced writers decisions to share their experiences, and motivated the ways in which they did so. This contextual interpretation illustrates the significance of contemporary events and individual responses to them in shaping Holocaust memory. By focusing upon the psychological responses within these writings, Klein challenges the dominant historical discourse within Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and illuminates the importance of interdisciplinary perspectives. This book encourages renewed debate on methodological approaches, and is essential for students and scholars of the Holocaust, Jewish Studies, and the history of emotions.