The Post-Holocaust Narrative, or Lack Thereof

Ruth Hagen Nemovicher

RN:      And when I came here for a very short time I went, after I got married.  I married in 1957.  I went to Nassau Community for a couple of semesters and took literature, philosophy, things that interested me.

AG:     Um-hmm.  And is your husband American or?

RN:      I am divorced.

AG:     Oh okay.  Was—

RN:      I did, I did marry an American, yes.

AG:     Oh okay.  And when did you get divorced?

RN:      1966.  (pause)

AG:     And do you have kids or?

RN:      One daughter.

AG:     Um-hmm.

RN:      That was born in 1959.  (pause)

AG:     Hmm.  And so have you been working, or, what do you—

RN:      Oh yeah, I worked.  I raised my daughter up, I divorced when my daughter was only six and a half years old.

“After I became single again, all I was thinking about was just living, raising my child.  I haven’t analyzed it as much, I really haven’t thought about it.  I’ve never been asked about it—you were the first person who asked me!  There is a story, but it’s a nothing story, to me!  I had a child, I had to work, I had to raise a child, I just went on.  I don’t think people find it interesting.  I never thought of it as interesting.  I was surprised that you asked about it at all.”  (emphasis added)