Today, the Scholars' Society listened to an insightful and thought-provoking lecture by Head of History, Miss Jenkinson, titled Holocaust Survivor Testimony: Why Haven’t We Always Listened to Survivors? The lecture explored the evolution of Holocaust testimonies, shedding light on how survivor accounts have been overlooked, restricted, and, in recent decades, embraced as vital historical records.
Miss Jenkinson began by reflecting on her personal journey into Holocaust studies, which was sparked by a school trip to Auschwitz and later deepened through her work with the Holocaust Education Trust. She shared her experience of meeting Holocaust survivor Kitty Hart-Moxon, whose words, “it will not become just some blurred image in the dim and distant past,” highlighted the importance of preserving and studying survivor testimonies.
The lecture wasdivided into three key periods, each illustrating how survivor testimonies have been received and used over time. In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, testimonies were largely ignored or silenced, as survivors struggled to find a receptive audience. Many governments prioritised rebuilding over confronting the horrors of the Holocaust, and even in war trials, the testimonies of liberators and captured Nazis were often preferred over those of survivors.
The 1970s and 1980s saw a shift in attitude, with a surge in interest in recording survivor testimonies. However, Miss Jenkinson highlighted that testimonies from this period were often constrained, focusing primarily on graphic accounts of violence and suffering while neglecting survivors’ broader life experiences. Documentaries like Shoah and Return to Auschwitz emphasised gruesome details, sometimes at the expense of survivor agency, as seen in the intrusive interviewing techniques of the time.
It was not until the 1990s that Holocaust survivor testimonies began to be valued in their entirety. Miss Jenkinson pointed out that as the last generation of survivors reaches old age, there has been a concerted effort to preserve their accounts for future generations. Initiatives such as the Holocaust Education Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz programme and the release of Night Will Fall—a documentary based on long-lost footage of concentration camps—underscore the growing recognition of survivor testimonies as essential educational tools.
The lecture concluded with a call to action, emphasising the need to continue engaging with survivor testimonies to ensure their stories are never forgotten. Miss Jenkinson reiterated that as the number of living survivors dwindles, it is crucial to study and disseminate their accounts, ensuring that their voices remain a powerful reminder of history’s darkest chapter.