Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War Souvenirs
Abstract
The article includes a sample of testimonies and the results of sociological research on the life stories of Jews born in the aftermath ofWorldWar II in two countries, Czechoslovakia and Luxembourg. At that time, Czechoslovak Jews were living through the era of de-Stalinization and their narratives oer new insights into this segment of Jewish post-war history that dier from those of Jews living in liberal, democratic European states.
The interviews explore how personal documents, photos, letters and souvenirs can help maintain personal memories in Jewish families and show how this varies from one generation to the next. My paper illustrates the importance of these small artifacts for the transmission of Jewish collective memory in post-war Jewish generations.
The case study aims to answer the following research questions: What is the relationship between the Jewish post-war generation and its heirlooms? Who is in charge of maintaining Jewish family heirlooms within the family? Are there any intergenerational dierences when it comes to keeping and maintaining family history? The study also aims to find out whether the political regime influences how Jewish objects are kept by Jewish families.