A Final Solution with No End?

The Transgenerational Effect of the Holocaust

Reactions and Conclusions

Prior to my research I expected to find explanations spelled out in neon lights, but unfortunately, my inquiry left me with only probable associations and possibilities. While psychological distress can be connected to the Holocaust, a distinct causal link has yet to be determined. However, the experience of unabashedly delving into the past has forever opened my mind to the emotions my grandparents and parents must have absorbed as a result of the Holocaust. Unfortunately, levels of secrecy and silence continue to stagnate and mask many of these issues.

Like many other families, my family discussed the Holocaust and my grandparent’s captivity in the concentration camps. Although the stories were told to us, we were always aware that recalling these memories brought great pain to the storyteller. As a result, an unspoken understanding is still kept; the children do not ask too much about what took place, and the grandparents would not give ample detail or tell too much. While this practice reduced stress for all parties involved, it also helped to perpetuate the cycle of mystery, secrecy, and emotional separation across the generations.

Fossion et al. (2003) noticed that Holocaust survivors were generally more prone to talk about their past through their grandchildren rather than their own children. Using this as an opportunity to break the progression of distress, the researchers suggest taking advantage of this lapse of secrecy in order to facilitate greater communication among families. While stories of the Holocaust are difficult to discuss for both the listener and the survivor, tales of survival, strength and coping can be much more empowering. By increasing the practice of communication among family members, even through third generation intermediaries, Holocaust survivors and their families may begin to repair the emotional damage that began over sixty years ago.

Although much of the literature discussed a lack of empathetic expression and a priority system based on accomplishment, there is evidence that humanistic values were transmitted across generations. In an audience of several hundred second generation members, about two thirds indicated that they had chosen a profession within a helping field (Peskin, 1981). I can see this pattern emerge while looking at my own family, as much of the younger generation has chosen a profession in which they help others.

Perhaps my family members were correct when they teased me about being able to fill my psychological practice with members of my own family, and perhaps it is that unrestrained level of communication and openness that has allowed us to continue on with our lives. Although I do not have conclusive answers about my family, I know now that I owe my grandmother another visit, and a long conversation.