Traumatic memory and the intergenerational transmission of Holocaust narratives

Abstract

This paper investigates the roles of affect regulation, narrative cohesion, and symbolic representation in the intergenerational transmission of the Holocaust experience. A study of the reminiscences of mothers who are Holocaust survivors and their daughters' reflections about the Holocaust illustrates the process of the transmission of trauma by tracing the transgenerational evolution of narrative forms, dynamic themes, and affective organization. The quality of the survivor parent's organization and integration of affect has significant bearing on how her child assimilates her knowledge of the Holocaust and develops the capacity to tolerate and express painful emotions. Through the preservation, transformation, and transmutation of traumatic memory, children of survivors strive to assimilate, redeem, and transform their tragic historical legacy.