SPOUSE BEREAVEMENT PROCESSES OF HOLOCAUST CHILD SURVIVORS - CAN ONE DIFFERENTIATE A BLACK FRAME FROM A BLACK BACKGROUND

This article highlights the relation between the mourning processes of Holocaust war orphans and their expected bereavement processes in lat er life when a spouse dies. The relation between the two processes is explored through a clinical case study. In addition, we define the con cept of subtle mourning as an adjustment in the bereavement process. W e assume that orphans, who survive after genocide, suffer a lifelong s ense of bereavement. They create a subtle mourning process which can b e disclosed much later in their lives when they must cope with the dea th of a spouse.