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Narratives of Resilience - Maintaining and Redefining Historical Identity for Lower-Rhine Jewish Communities in Strasbourg and Neighboring Towns Following WWII and the Holocaust
McCullough, Aidan J
McCullough, Aidan J
Abstract
Since the end of World War II and the Holocaust, France has been confronted with a recent past that has continued to leave traces in national memory. Much has resurfaced, including political collaboration with the Nazi German state, as well as resistance to said collaboration. The plight, as well as regeneration, of French Jewish communities has also been brought to light. Following the war, eastern French Alsatian Jewish communities experienced a rebirth that is as multifaceted as it is remarkable. While Judaism in this region regained some of its pre-war communal vitality, significant changes in demographics took place, which impacted how it rebuilt itself and reconciled this dark past. In what ways was the memory of the war and the Holocaust processed during the reconstruction of these communities? What changed, and what remained? With a focus on the city of Strasbourg, this study examines the legacies of the war period through two concepts: narratives of resilience and sites of memory. Resilience narratives tell of how people endured through moments of trial or unsettling change, while sites of memory refer to places where an event of importance took place, and the memory of that event is preserved in some way. Relying on archival documents, primary sources, scholarly inquiries, and testimonial experiences, this study shows how these communities rebuilt themselves based on pre-existing historical relationships and continuities, all the while developing a mentality of active remembrance in the midst of inevitable change.
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2025-05-01
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Modern Languages and Literatures