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Child of Holocaust survivors, granddaughter of Nazi confront their separate inheritances

From Jerusalem Post · (14h ago) English Positive tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Two individuals, one the child of Holocaust survivors and the other the granddaughter of a Nazi soldier, collaborated on a book exploring their family inheritances.
  • The book, titled "Inheritance: Love, Loss and the Legacy of the Holocaust," is based on family letters and archival research, detailing one family's escape during the Holocaust.
  • The collaboration highlights a shared experience of silence and avoidance surrounding the Nazi era in both German Jewish and Austrian families, prompting a deeper reckoning with the past.

This story, as reported by JTA and featured in The Jerusalem Post, delves into a deeply personal and profound exploration of historical trauma and reconciliation. The collaboration between Charlie Scheidt, whose parents were Holocaust survivors, and Kat Rohrer, the granddaughter of a Nazi soldier, offers a unique lens through which to view the lingering impact of the Holocaust.

I grew up in a German Jewish world where the history was unspoken. My first language was German. But we didn’t talk about what happened.

— Charlie ScheidtScheidt describes his childhood experience growing up in a German Jewish family where the Holocaust was a subject of silence.

Scheidt's journey, marked by a childhood where the horrors of the past were unspoken despite his family's German heritage, and Rohrer's experience growing up in Austria with a grandfather who was a committed Nazi, reveal parallel narratives of silence and delayed reckoning. The discovery of nearly 1,000 documents by Scheidt, detailing his family's harrowing escape, became the catalyst for this joint project.

I grew up knowing he was a convinced Nazi. But I never met him. There was distance. And with distance comes questions that others in my family didn’t always want to ask.

— Kat RohrerRohrer explains the atmosphere in her Austrian family regarding her grandfather's Nazi past.

Rohrer's own background, marked by a similar atmosphere of muted acknowledgment of the war's legacy in Austria, allowed her to connect with Scheidt's hesitation. Their shared understanding of "avoidance" underscores the complex and often difficult process of confronting inherited histories. This is not just a story about the past; it's about how the past continues to shape present identities and relationships, particularly in the context of German and Austrian societies grappling with their roles in history.

I had a life to lead. I had a family to raise. I had a business to run.

— Charlie ScheidtScheidt explains his initial hesitation to delve into the historical documents left by his mother.

From a local perspective in Israel, where Holocaust remembrance is a cornerstone of national identity and education, such a personal journey of confronting and understanding the legacy of the Shoah holds particular significance. The Jerusalem Post, reflecting this, would highlight the courage of individuals willing to bridge divides and engage with difficult histories, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and shared understanding in preventing future atrocities.

She was interested. That was my good fortune.

— Charlie ScheidtScheidt expresses his gratitude for Rohrer's willingness to help him sort through his family's archive.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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