Language:
German
Year of publication:
2001
Titel der Quelle:
History and Memory; Studies in Representation of the Past
Angaben zur Quelle:
13,2 (2001) 59-95
Keywords:
Wilkomirski, Binjamin.
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Psychological aspects
;
Holocaust survivors
Abstract:
Discusses the social context of the publication of Wilkomirski's "autobiography" in 1995. A non-Jew born in 1941 in Switzerland, Wilkomirski was abandoned by his parents and adopted in 1945. Living his life feeling as an outcast and lacking confidence regarding his true identity, he found in his invented identity of Holocaust survivor a metaphor for his traumatic past and present. Wilkomirski began to invent his Jewish identity and survivor story in his youth; in order to construct a coherent text, he "devoured" ca. 2,000 books. Paradoxically, he really believed his invented story and yet deliberately lied both to his audience and to himself. His psychologist had recommended that he write "memoirs" as part of his therapy. There were also many others, Jews and non-Jews, interested in the publication of his story. The social context and the emergence of the Holocaust as a master narrative of the late 20th century, with its powerful imagery, played a fundamental role in the invention of Wilkomirski's story. After he was exposed as a falsifier, Wilkomirski adopted an anti-Zionist, if not antisemitic, attitude.
Note:
In German: "Das Wilkomirski-Syndrom" (2002).
URL:
Click here for fulltext (may be restricted to subscribers)
URL:
Locate this publication in Israeli libraries
Permalink