Transgenerational memory: understanding the invisible legacies of war
What is transgenerational memory?
Transgenerational memory refers to the process by which experiences lived by one generation — including major traumatic or historical events — influence subsequent generations, even when they did not directly experience those events.
This transmission does not necessarily occur through explicit memories, but through family stories, silences, attitudes or relational dynamics.
How is a traumatic legacy transmitted?
Transgenerational memory does not mean that a trauma is transmitted like a specific object.
It can manifest itself through:
persistent unspoken issues,
unexplained fears,
protective or avoidance behaviors,
a vague feeling of responsibility or guilt.
Researchers in psychology, contemporary history and sociology observe that the absence of a clear narrative around a historical event can create, among descendants, a space for interpretation that is sometimes a source of unease or identity questioning.
World War II: A European Legacy
In Europe, the Second World War is a major example of an event that left a lasting mark on families.
After 1945, many people chose silence to rebuild their lives. This silence, sometimes protective in the short term, may have left subsequent generations facing unanswered questions.
In the Franco-German context, these legacies take on a particular dimension: they touch on historical responsibilities, past suffering, and relations between nations.
One of the most studied examples in Europe is that of the Kriegsenkel in Germany.
The Kriegsenkel: the grandchildren of war
One of the most studied examples in Europe is that of the Kriegsenkel in Germany. This term refers to the grandchildren of the generation that lived through the war.
Many of them are now questioning the influence of this family history on their identity, their relationships and their relationship to the past.
The Rencontre Réconciliation association is interested in these trajectories from the perspective of European dialogue and peaceful transmission.
Why is this topic generating increasing interest?
Several factors explain this interest:
historical regression,
the opening of the archives,
the gradual disappearance of direct witnesses,
the development of research on intergenerational transmission.
More and more descendants are seeking to understand how their family history continues to influence their present.
Understanding in order to have a dialogue
Exploring transgenerational memory is not about blaming previous generations.
It's more like this:
to put words to silences,
to connect individual history and collective history,
to foster a more peaceful intergenerational dialogue,
to place family memories within a European perspective.
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