Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War Souvenirs

The article includes a sample of testimonies and the results of sociological research on the life stories of Jews born in the aftermath of World War II in two countries, Czechoslovakia and Luxembourg. At that time, Czechoslovak Jews were living through the era of de-Stalinization and their narrative...

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Main Author: Jakub Bronec
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-07-01
Series:Heritage
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/2/3/109
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author Jakub Bronec
author_facet Jakub Bronec
author_sort Jakub Bronec
collection DOAJ
description The article includes a sample of testimonies and the results of sociological research on the life stories of Jews born in the aftermath of World War II in two countries, Czechoslovakia and Luxembourg. At that time, Czechoslovak Jews were living through the era of de-Stalinization and their narratives offer new insights into this segment of Jewish post-war history that differ 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 differences 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.
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spelling doaj.art-54f38be24a2b4728bfedec29eaeb5e122022-12-21T19:25:52ZengMDPI AGHeritage2571-94082019-07-01231785179810.3390/heritage2030109heritage2030109Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War SouvenirsJakub Bronec0C²DH—Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History, University of Luxembourg, Maison des Sciences Humaines 11, Porte des Sciences, L-4366 Esch-sur-Alzette, LuxembourgThe article includes a sample of testimonies and the results of sociological research on the life stories of Jews born in the aftermath of World War II in two countries, Czechoslovakia and Luxembourg. At that time, Czechoslovak Jews were living through the era of de-Stalinization and their narratives offer new insights into this segment of Jewish post-war history that differ 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 differences 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/2/3/109Jewish family heirloomsJewish material cultureritual items
spellingShingle Jakub Bronec
Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War Souvenirs
Heritage
Jewish family heirlooms
Jewish material culture
ritual items
title Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War Souvenirs
title_full Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War Souvenirs
title_fullStr Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War Souvenirs
title_full_unstemmed Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War Souvenirs
title_short Transmission of Collective Memory and Jewish Identity in Post-War Jewish Generations through War Souvenirs
title_sort transmission of collective memory and jewish identity in post war jewish generations through war souvenirs
topic Jewish family heirlooms
Jewish material culture
ritual items
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/2/3/109
work_keys_str_mv AT jakubbronec transmissionofcollectivememoryandjewishidentityinpostwarjewishgenerationsthroughwarsouvenirs