2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. That milestone underscores how precious eyewitness accounts of that era are.
But for many survivors—notably, those of the Holocaust or of wartime bombing raids—the resulting trauma has created a “veil of silence.” Their descendants crave understanding and healing, yet survivor’s guilt and a desire to leave the past behind can keep people from talking.
Others may feel shy for different reasons. Some believe their life has been unremarkable or worry about how they will sound.
I recently worked with Heidi Posnien, who lived in Berlin throughout the Second World War. Together, we published her memories in a book called A Child in Berlin (Post Hill Press; also available here).
In a radio interview on a local National Public Radio affiliate’s “All Things Considered,” Heidi said, “It’s very hard for me to talk about the past like that because it brings back memories. It took us five years to write this book. It wasn’t easy.”
Despite the pressure of being on the radio, Heidi told one of the most-harrowing experiences of her life. When she was 9 years old, she couldn’t make it to a shelter during a bombing raid. She was alone in an apartment with the windows and doors blasted out—and watched her neighbor’s home burn.
“You could see the fire in the back, and it was all lit up … It was cold, and glass was all over my bed,” she says. “Then it all burned down, and I curled up and cried myself to sleep.”
…Read the full article at Family Tree Magazine here: https://familytreemagazine.com/storytelling/interviewing/family-interview-sensitive-subjects/
Related free resource: Get Rhonda Lauritzen’s free Sensitive Subjects tool kit here: https://evalogue.life/sensitive2/
Rhonda Lauritzen is a professional biographer with multiple published books and a regular speaker at conferences. She has an MBA from the University of Utah and served as CEO of her family business, working alongside six brothers. Her writing journey began with her parents’ family business saga, and in 2016, she founded Evalogue.Life. Since then, Rhonda has professionally told the stories of families, cities, and nonprofits. She believes that when you tell your story, it changes the ending. Her latest co-authored book is distributed by Simon & Schuster December 10, 2024: Creative Insecurity: Lean Into the Unknown and Unleash Your Inner Misfit. Another recent book is A Child in Berlin, traditionally published by Post Hill Press.