Part 2: Holocaust Stories
- Discuss with students: What is a “story”? (10-15 minutes)
- Ask students to share the stories of their names.
- Ask: What is the “story” of a Holocaust survivor?
- Explain: A Holocaust survivor’s story includes a) their childhood, b) the war years, and c) their life following the war. Our goal is to get to know the individual. How was he/she affected by the Holocaust?
- Discuss (5 minutes): Who has had experience volunteering with seniors? What have you learned from your experience? Describe your interactions with your grandparents. How is interacting with grandparents different from interacting with your peers?
- Distribute and review Handout: Interview Checklist.
- Conducting oral histories (20 min or more)
- Distribute pen and paper. Have students in small groups brainstorm questions to ask Holocaust survivors.
- Review questions as a class. Discuss the difference between yes-and-no and open-ended questions.
- Example of open-ended question: What kind of music did you enjoy as a child?
- Explain: For many years, the predominant voices in Holocaust narratives were those of men (Anne Frank’s diary, heavily edited, being the primary exception)
- Assist students in brainstorming questions that allow both men and women to reflect on their roles in family/society and on changing perceptions of those roles
- For further background on conducting oral histories, consult JWA guide In Our Own Voices
- Do a mock interview with students and play the role of the survivor. Give them the opportunity to ask you questions. You may wish to honor the memory of a survivor you know of by telling his/her story. (10 min)
- Assignment: Personal project. After meeting with your survivor, or hearing their oral testimony, record your reactions to their story in a personal way. You may write an essay, diary entry, or blog post; convey your impressions artistically (painting, dance, photography; film); create a podcast or record a conversation you have with a family member. How did your survivor’s story make you feel? What was it like to meet a survivor (whether virtually or in person)? Which aspects of their story did you connect to, and what do you want to pass on? You may also respond directly to the story of Rywka Lipszyc, or integrate it into your project.
- Discuss confidentiality with your students: unless the survivor prefers otherwise, only his/her first name should be used
