REMINISCENCE OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES SUF FERED FROM NATIONAL-SOCIALIST GERMANY IN (FORMER) JEWISH EMIGRANTS AND EXTERMINATION CAMP SURVIVORS

Semi-structured interviews with 248 (former) Jewish emigrants and exte rmination camp survivors in Germany and three destination countries of Jewish emigration (Argentina, Israel, United States) indicate that re miniscence of traumatic experiences suffered from National Socialist G ermany occurs in numerous daily contexts. In later life, traumatic mem ories do not only occur spontaneously and unexpectedly; moreover, they are an essential part of the people's frame of reference for question s about personal identity, perceptions of social relationships, societ y and societal development, and coping with specific themes. Following a pilot study on subjective reconstruction of the life course in (for mer) Jewish emigrants and extermination camp survivors, different phas es of postholocaust development are distinguished. Self-ratings for in tensity of traumatic reminiscence for these phases of personal develop ment support the hypothesis that traumatic reminiscence increased in o ld age. People highly differ in coping with stressful reminiscence. So me study participants react with depression, anxiety, feelings of surv ivor guilt, and withdrawal from social relationships. Others, however, are highly engaged in social relationships, especially with the follo wing generations. They want to give a contribution to the educational work of their society and to prevent discrimination, racism, and xenop hobia.