"A crossroads generation." Great-grandchildren of Holocaust survivors' perspectives on the impact of the genocide on family functioning

Abstract

As a cultural trauma, the Holocaust exerted negative psychological effects on many survivors, with such effects often extending to their families. Research has explored these effects with respect to the survivors' children and grandchildren, but the experiences of the next generation have yet to be canvassed. Knowledge about resilience in Holocaust survivor families is also comparatively sparse. In this exploratory study, 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian great-grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, garnering perspectives concerning the genocide's impact on family functioning. Six superordinate themes were identified through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis: The experience of being raised by the third generation, honoring traumatic family histories, the need to move on, proudly identifying with the Holocaust, valuing achievement and ambition, and the importance of not taking things for granted. The findings suggest that multiple generations within survivor families grapple with the lingering negative effects of the Holocaust. Concurrently, attempting to redress these effects has the potential to benefit family dynamics and processes.

Keywords: family functioning; family relationships; holocaust; posttraumatic growth; resilience; trauma.