Language:
French
Year of publication:
2009
Titel der Quelle:
Vingtième Siècle; revue d'histoire
Angaben zur Quelle:
102 (2009) 3-18
Keywords:
Desbois, Patrick.
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Historiography
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Mass media and the Holocaust
Abstract:
Discusses the dangers of popularization and mediatization of historical research, as highlighted by Patrick Desbois's "Porteur de mémoires: Sur les traces de la Shoah par balles" (2007). The Catholic priest's study of the mass killings of Jews in the area of today's Ukraine and Belarus between 1941-44 has become a huge media success in France, as has the priest himself. Criticizes the fact that Desbois is presented as a hero who has revealed totally new dimensions of the Shoah, while in fact the crimes in question have been known at least since 1945. Emphasizes that Desbois's book concurs to the distorted image projected by the media. Its simple structure, focus on eyewitness testimonies and victims, and indifference to historical and historiographical contexts make it exceedingly media-friendly, as do the author's personality and loud moral indignation. Although sincere conviction concerning the importance of Holocaust remembrance is part of today's media logic, nameless suffering easily becomes a product which must be presented as "new" and "revealing" in order to sell. Concludes that the mediatization of sensitive historical subjects like the Shoah, with all the risks of distortion it entails, corresponds to a social demand. Acknowledges this demand, but refuses to accept media distortions that border on falsehood.
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