WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk How To Remember The Holocaust
Jan 16, 2026
Waitman Wade Beorn, a historian specializing in Holocaust studies, delves into the intricate strategies of Holocaust remembrance. He explores the evolution of memory practices across countries, highlighting significant milestones like the Nuremberg trials and the impact of museums in shaping public narratives. Beorn also discusses Germany's reckoning with its past, grassroots educational initiatives in Poland, and how local memorials reflect shifting perceptions. With a focus on intergenerational memory, he uncovers the complexities of commemorating a painful history.
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What Memory Actually Is
- Memory is how societies make meaning of the past in the present moment.
- Institutions, law, commemoration and popular culture all shape collective memory.
Museums Make Arguments
- Museums and official institutions present a thesis about the past rather than neutral facts.
- Visitors receive a framed argument that shapes public remembrance.
Early Survivor Interviews
- David Boder began systematically interviewing Holocaust survivors in 1946, immediately after the war.
- Early testimony collection started far earlier than many assume.
