REMEMBER THE PARENTS, FORGIVE THE CHILDREN, TRANSCENDING THE WOUNDS OF THE HOLOCAUST

Miri Shachnai, Hedy Schleifer, Evelyn Eichmann and Hana Shiloh 11.08.2008 05:54



This panel deals with Imago work with the second and the third generations of the holocaust perpetrators and victims. We, the Jews were the “senders” of our national wound, in the sense of reminding the world what has happened to us, and educating our people never to forget. The Germans were the “container” of our national wound, but only at the substantial and superficial level – they paid compensations and stood on the world’s trial.

 

Both sides kept a tradition of silence. Both the holocaust generation and the second and third generations had difficulties to expose their wounds and to treat them at the psychological level. Only at the end of the 1980’s, Germans started to remove the repression around the mere existence of the holocaust perpetrators. We, the Jews, were not aware of the need for collective containment of the wounds of the German’s second and third generation.

 

In the international conference, we will experience how the treatment of “evil wounds” becomes possible within the framework of containment, based on deepening the awareness, giving, hope and love.

 

The participants of this panel present those aspects of containment

 

Hedy Schleifer, is a Clinical Psychologist and a Faculty member of the “Imago Relationship Therapy Institution”. Her presentation will be about how her mother saved the lives of so many people during the Holocaust because she remained in deep connection with her spiritual core.

 

Evelyn  Eichmann,  Imago therapist from Austria Psychotherapist, supervisor and management trainer. Her personality enables us, the Israeli hosts, a corrective experience in her mere presence. She will present her life story as an Austrian in Vienna after the war with all “the secrets about the Nazis and Jews” and her personal journey of growth after the war.

 

Hana Shiloh, is a Couples and family therapist and supervisor, Imago therapist at “Amcha” Teaches at the Psychotherapy Institute for Advanced Studies. Her subject  is “The contribution of Imago in second generation treatment”.

 

Miri Shachnai, is a Couple and family therapist and supervisor, Imago therapist.  She will present a case of couple Imago therapy of a Nazi’s granddaughter and her Israeli spouse.