Preface/ Acknowledgements/Introduction/ Part I Setting the Scene/ 1.The historical background of the countries of origin of the refugee parents/ 2. The 1930s and the first generation/ 3. Methodological issues/ Part II Testimonials/ Interview with Henry/ Interview with John/ Interview with author by TW/ Interview with Mike/ Interview with Robert/ Interview with Peter/ Interview with Sarah/ Interview with Tania/ Interview with Tom/ Part III Reflections on the voices of the British Second Generation/ Conclusion: Breaking the Silence?/ Appendix 1/ Bibliography/ Index
Merilyn Moos is an independent scholar based in London.
This is a well structured and well written study of the extent to
which people from the second generation of German refugees in
Britain have been affected by their parents' frequently silent
suffering. The 'children', now in middle age or beyond, have
frequently kept silent about it too, in some cases until
interviewed by the writer for this particular book. Moos
investigates the legacy of suffering, which is also her own, with
great sensitivity and feeling. -- Charmian Brinson, Professor of
German, Imperial College London
This highly original study reveals the long-lasting effects of
trauma for the children of exiles who came to Britain from Nazi
Germany, using their own words and with a commentary that is always
fascinating and often very moving. -- Sue Vice, Professor of
English Literature, The University of Sheffield
This is a very important book. It presents ground-breaking research
and contains new primary material: interviews with members of the
second generation. It fills the gap in a field that is, to date,
under-researched in the UK. -- Andrea Hammel, Senior Lecturer in
German, Aberystwyth University
It is only natural to want to know what the impact was on the
second generation. How did it shape and/or alter their lives? By
interviewing these now grown children, we get a look at their lives
that is both qualitative and interdisciplinary. We are given an
insight into how fear of persecution and exile of their parents
plays into their own lives and how some are haunted by the pasts
and others cannot remember because they do not want to. The
children here speak in their own words and a commentary is provided
that is moving and incredibly fascinating. - Amos Lassen
[A]n exploratory research study which contextualises and analyses
the experiences of people of the second generation, based around a
series of testimonials by people from that group. Some of the most
powerful stories are from people talking about the ways they faced
up to topics-which-could-not-be-discussed during their everyday
lives as children ... The indicators of distress that [Moos]
identifies among the second generation of refugees from Nazism will
prove invaluable for those studying and seeking to promote the
wellbeing of people who have survived any of the catastrophes of
our age. * Scottish Review *
The key strength of the volume is Moos's willingness to put her own
experiences into the frame. As she shifts from using 'they' to
using 'we' in the final section, she also shifts from the concrete
to the speculative - but the thoughtful conclusions she draws here
are clearly the result of a long period of very personal
soul-searching, as well as an analysis of a handful of interviews;
and here Moos' passion for and investment in her subject come
through clearly. * Oral History *
With Europe facing the worst refugee crisis since the Second World
War, author Merilyn Moos's new book Breaking the Silence is
poignantly topical ... The "silence" of the title is that of both
parents and children. Moos suggests some parents could not bear to
remember and tried to keep closed the door to the past. Or they
didn't want to speak of appalling events to their children in order
to leave them with hope for the future. Perhaps silence was a
feature of mourning, evidence of trauma or an assertion that words
cannot bring back the dead. * Camden New Journal *
"In Breaking the Silence, Moos has produced a tightly focused,
worthwhile piece of scholarship, of relevance to those with
personal or academic interests in this area." * The Association of
Jewish Refugees *
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
