Essay On Holocaust Survivors

Take a moment and put yourself in the shoes of a Holocaust survivor. Would you fear the sound of fireworks because they sound identical to gunshots? Would you be afraid of soldiers? Would you fear the word “camp”? Holocaust survivors are living with those memories every single day. Survivors of the Holocaust have gone through much trauma, and for them to open up and tell their stories is frightening. Yet, many have found that sharing their experience can be quite therapeutic, in addition to joining them to a community of survivors. Those who survived the Holocaust have an incredible story to tell. There are currently over 195,000 survivors listed in the database at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. In fact, the United States Holocaust Memorial defines a survivor as “any persons, Jewish or non-Jewish, who were displaced, persecuted, or discriminated against due to the racial, religious, ethnic, social, and political policies of the Nazis and their collaborators between 1933 and 1945.” Many have given their autobiographies, while some just register with the organization. However, this is a small number from only one of the
However, emotions would eventually give way. Not only were people trying to recreate their lives, but they also had to deal with a lot of internal conflict. Once the emotions of their wretched experiences gave way, many would find themselves dealing with a lot of symptoms. Psychiatrists eventually grouped these symptoms under the names of “survivor syndrome” and “post-traumatic stress disorder.” In fact, this was the first time that many sought-out professional help. Oddly enough, many survivors have become food hoarders. Natan Kellerman explains their value for food as, “[they had] nothing to eat back then, so why throw away food now?” Also, that is why there is a stereotype that Jews are food