The Words to Remember It: memoirs of child Holocaust survivors

by Sydney Child Holocaust Survivors Group

‘These are stories to move the heart profoundly; to elicit gratitude for all that we have; powerful stories to make us determined to speak out and take action against prejudice or hateful gossip; stories to encourage a vigorous, constructive questioning of authority; stories to remind us always that the price of liberty is, indeed, eternal vigilance, by all the people, on behalf of all the people.’ ― from the foreword, by Caroline Jones, AO Accurate numbers can never be known, but it is estimated that more than one million children under the age of 16 perished during the Holocaust. For the children who survived, what they saw and heard, and what they lost, remains an indelible trauma that affects them in profound and unspeakable ways. In 1987 in Sydney, a number of child survivors formed a group so that they could meet in a safe environment to share their stories and begin to process their grief. Later, the group began creative writing sessions. For many, finding ways to remember was the beginning of a painful reintegration of their sense of self ― a realisation that they were, in fact, child survivors of the Holocaust. In telling their stories, there was relief to be found in finally connecting their memories with context and meaning, and in having them validated. In the process, many found themselves remembering more and more details, and the stories grew and grew into a broad picture of life before, during, and after the Second World War, from Paris to Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vilno, and Shanghai. In this indescribably moving collection, 30 members of the group share their unfathomable experiences of loss, and the stories of their ultimate endurance.

Genres: Holocaust, Nonfiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2010

Reviews

[Alison Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live personal accounts.. to hear these stories from a child's perspective adds an element of humanity that makes it seem all the more real

[addy · Rating 3 out of 5]

just a beautiful read

[Cristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a few quotes from the book that I wanted to remember as I cannot believe the amount of suffering human beings can go through and still survive with no hatred but love.

Jozef Vissel: "[W]hat does it matter whether we are white or black, Jew or Christian? Everyone, wherever they are in the world, has a responsibility, and that responsibility is to live as a decent human being and be civilised towards people." p. 199

Nora M. Huppert, on meeting Sir Nicholas Winton, the man whose rescued some 669 children during this time - Nora included: "It's not enough in today's world merely to lead an exemplary life and do no wrong. It is incumbent on each one of us to actively take responsibility and to care for the less privileged and the disadvantaged." p. 290

Dasha Caminer: "My experiences have taught me that it is not necessary to look for material wealth in order to find enjoyment and happiness. The simple pleasures of nature and awareness of things around me have been my inspiration. At times of loneliness and desolation, I turn to creating: in art, or the garden, or cooking, or pottery. I have always been intrigued by how things are made and where they come from. The world is an endlessly fascinating place, and there are always meaningful opportunities to be taken along the path." p.315

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real eye-opener. Amazing what humans can endure. These people are very brave telling their stories, it is a great read.