Auschwitz symbolizes the worst dehumanization ever.
For many of us, descendants of victims and perpetrators, the shoah’s impact is still present. Our aim is to face the anguish which still moves us. In the previous conferences many participants from Israel, Austria, Finland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and Germany met to process uncontained emotions. Experiences of anxiety, shame, guilt and anger were met and addressed.
In the conference our identifications and difficulties can be experienced and discussed through a combination of movies and participation in small and large groups. We share an effort to digest better the shoah’s burdens. To contain the uncontainable together becomes an ongoing process which brings relief. Engaging with our transgenerational heritage we may encounter our parents‘ and grandparents‘ suffering, violence and unspeakable feelings in a more human way, which may be also more friendly for us. We have already found that this shared effort to cope with our delegations facilitates thinking and taking responsibility for our own destinies.
In Bonn we will meet in person for the first time since the horror of October 7, 2023
and the ongoing, devastating war between Israel and its neighbors, which continues to shake the entire Middle East. This reality will undoubtedly resonate within our dialogue, bringing new traumas and complex challenges to our doorstep as we seek to find our voices once again.
All those burdened by the Shoah, those of us with and without Jewish and/or German heritage from all over the world are invited to participate.