Autobiographical tale of loss and grief The Memory Keeper stems from its author Jackie Kohnstamm’s efforts to find more about her family history, in light of her mother’s escape from Nazi-era Berlin and a general sense of omertà about this era among her older relatives. A painful read transpires, as she uncovers a record of how her grandparents were killed in the Holocaust, yet The Memory Keeper is a book full of energy and meaningful connection.
Though Kohnstamm has simplified her story for clarity, its most pivotal event concerns the discovery of a ‘stumble stone’ – a brass plaque, engraved with her grandparents’ names – outside their fomer Berlin residence. This represents an attempt to bring back the lost names of the Holocaust.) In the first part of the book, too, a delightful link between the Kohnstamm generations is outlined when the author’s voice connects with her grandmother and grandfather.
I particularly enjoyed The Memory Keeper’s black-and-white images, footnotes and epistolary notes, which collectively give a huge insight into the family experience of this epochal horror. The cyclical nature of the narrative gave me a sense of closure after the unfolding story had brought up myriad unanswered questions.
A completely necessary story of what it means to live with the consequences of the Holocaust, stories like this one will – of course – be incredibly difficult to read, but in offering a pathway as to how we as humans can compassionately understand historical pain and sacrifice, The Memory Keeper is a heartfelt and compelling book.
The Memory Keeper: A Journey Into The Holocaust To Find My Family, Jackie Kohnstamm (Canongate)
Price: £16.99/£10.99 Ebook. Info: here
words BILLIE INGRAM SOFOKLEOUS
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