Split Memory: The Geography of Holocaust Memory and Amnesia in Belarus
Author(s)
Publication Name
Publication Date
Abstract
The remote location of Beshankovichy's mass grave for Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide reflects the exclusion of local Jews during the German occupation of Soviet territories and limits their memory to a few knowledgeable survivors and witnesses. In contrast, local commemorative practices focus on memorials for Soviet soldiers, partisans, and their aides. The paper reveals an incongruence of the place of historical experience on the one hand, and the locale of popular commemoration on the other, highlighting the impact of the Holocaust in Belarus to destroy Jewish history and its memory. The spatial division reflects the trauma of loss as much as shame for local participation in the mass murder. Drawing on oral histories, archival materials, and field visits, the study builds on a growing field of scholarship on the role of space and place in the construction of memories and identities in the aftermath of atrocity and trauma to discuss the geographical dimensions of memory and amnesia.
Topics
Geography Holocaust Holocaust Memorials Main Topic: Holocaust and Memorial Memory Oral History and Biography
Genre
Geographic Coverage
Original Language
Volume/Issue
77(1)
Page Number
174-197
DOI
Link
Link to article including link to pdf, Split Memory: The Geography of Holocaust Memory and Amnesia in Belarus
Link to article in JSTOR, Split Memory: The Geography of Holocaust Memory and Amnesia in Belarus
Link to article in JSTOR, Split Memory: The Geography of Holocaust Memory and Amnesia in Belarus
Bibliographic Information
Split Memory: The Geography of Holocaust Memory and Amnesia in Belarus. 2018: 174-197. https://archive.jpr.org.uk/10.1017/slr.2018.15
