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Conceptions of history
The article deals with the perception of history of Jewish
migrants from former Soviet Union states. Basing on
interviews done in German Jewish communities and
in Israel it points out the most important fields of remembering
concerning the Shoah, World War II and
Jewish life in the Soviet Union. Combined together a
collective perception of history is drawn. Due to the
migration the Jewish narrative in Germany and Israel
changed. The emphasis on the role of Jewish fighters in
the Red Army has significantly changed the official way
of remembrance and the 9th of May now is celebrated
as the Victory Day.
Also the individual perceptions of history changed. Because
of the accessibility of information and without
official restrictions the Shoah became more than just a
detail of the Great Patriotic War. The singular crimes of
the National Socialist Germany and its allies became an
important part of their perception of history.
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