ESSAY 4: Analysis Comparing James Bachner’s Testimony and Memoir
Oral discussion of the Holocaust influences the perception of a written narrative. Through examining James Bachner’s oral testimony, it is noticeable how his memoir was an expansion of the factual details mentioned in his testimony. His oral testimony was recorded twelve years before the publishing of his memoir. Bachner was able to use his memoir as a way to provide a greater understanding to his testimony by detailing his experience in writing, allowing for a more expansive depiction of his Holocaust memory. In James Bachner’s personal account of the Holocaust, his testimony motivated the writing of his memoir, as seen through his discussion of pre-war Berlin and his concentration camp experiences.
James Bachner’s account of pre-war Berlin was closely related in both his testimony and memoir, reflecting the influence his oral account had on his writing. Bachner’s testimony vaguely describes his life before both the war and the Nazi regime. The details accounted for in Bachner’s testimony are later expanded in his memoir, displaying how his written account was dependent on information he relayed during his interview. Bachner’s memoir enhances his minimally mentioned pre-war life that was testified during his interview. By examining Bachner’s discussion of the location of his community and integration of Jewish culture before the war began, one can recognize the similarities of the accounts is a result of his memoir being motivated by his testimony.
Bachner’s testimony account displayed similarities to his memoir, due to the motivation for writing, through the discussion of his location. In his testimony, Bachner vaguely mentions his neighborhood to be largely involved in politics. This vague description is later specified to be one of the most influential areas for politics in Berlin. In his memoir, Bachner mentions that his street was the location for many political rallies and speeches. Berlin has historically been recognized as a city that plays a large role in the political discussion of its country. (GALE BERLIN). Bachner used his memoir to transmit specific information about his pre-war life. Bachner’s interview was his first moment of publicly recording his Holocaust account, which explains why his memoir is a more detailed resemblance of his account, due to it being written after the testimony.
In Bachner’s continuation from testimony to memoir, evidence providing for the motivation of his written account can be seen in his expression of Jewish integration in his pre-war community. Bachner mentioned in his testimony the friendships he had with Germans at his school and in his community before the Hitler regime. This information was then further expanded in his memoir to detail that his family’s lives were dependent on their community. (page 9 of DARKEST) In Berlin, Bachner did not feel like there was any discrimination before Hitler came into power. He mentioned that his community was largely integrated with Jews and Germans, and his family was recognized as a successful member of his community. Researchers state that Berlin was the central location for Jewish-German relations (GALE GROUP BERLIN). The similarities stated by Bachner is understandable due to his desire to write a historically accurate depiction of his Holocaust experience. Bachner writing was so largely influenced by his testimony, because his testimony was an accurate depiction of his Holocaust memory.
Through comparing James Bachner’s testimony and memoir, the resemblance of his two accounts is evident in his discussion of his concentration camp experience, displaying the influence his oral narrative had on his written narrative. By examining both accounts, the similarities display how Bachner accumulated his written narrative from his oral explanation of his circumstances at the Gogolin camp. Many sources vaguely detail the circumstances present at the Gogolin camp, making Bachner’s oral account the most prominent influence in his memoir. Bachner was unable to use research from other accounts to describe his written account of the Gogolin camp. The lack of information on the Gogolin camp provides evidence for why Bachner’s memoir, detailing the Gogolin camp, used the same information presented in the testimony.
In both narratives, Bachner details the type of camp Gogolin was and the tasks prisoners were required to accomplish. When Bachner arrived at Gogolin, the main focus of the camp was to help facilitate the completion of the autoban to benefit the German military. In the testimony, Bachner stated that this was the main task for workers at this camp when he first arrived, but when he was relocated to Gogolin for the second time, it was a transit camp. Sources relaying details of concentration camps describe the Gogolin camp as both a labor camp and a transit camp (Gale Group Gleiwitz). Gogolin served as a go-between for Jews to be selected for Auschwitz (Gale Group Wadowitz). Bachner’s claim that laborers of the camp were sent to work on road repairs was supported by accounts from other concentration camps.
When comparing Bachner’s oral account to his written account of the Holocaust, it is significant to recognize the similarities found in his descriptions. Through examining secondary sources about the Gogolin camp, Bachner’s claims about the camp prove to be historically backed. This is important, because Bachner’s personal account still provides factual information. Many Holocaust survivors have some differing claims in their accounts, but Bachner remained unbiased and impersonal in his claims. Because Bachner’s accounts about the Gogolin camp are so similar and factual, his narrative reflects a Holocaust memory that is not tainted with emotional details. Bachner’s testimony and memoir both lacked emotional enhancement and remained focused to relay accurate facts about the Holocaust.
Another commonality among Bachner’s testimony and memoir when detailing concentration camps was his ability to find work within the infirmary. Bachner largely focused his Holocaust narrative and survival story on his ability to work in the infirmary rather than physical labor. In his testimony, Bachner indicates that working in the infirmary allowed for him to survive the Holocaust. From his memoir, it is noticeable that Bachner uses this claim from his testimony to further explain his reasoning for survival. He was able to obtain an extra ration of food and was protected from the harsh physical labor. (page 108). In his memoir, he also mentions his ability to obtain information through his work in the infirmary. This knowledge provided Bachner with the ability to obtain a broader Holocaust memory, making it more factual rather than just experiential. The infirmary was devoid of SS men because of the rampant sickness, allowing for news to be freely discussed among the imprisoned, providing a resolve based on encouragement of the war. By moderately mentioning the infirmary in his testimony, he was able to extend his narrative of survival, displaying his motivation for writing his memoir was based on his testimony.
James Bachner’s memoir reflects that his motivation for writing was established in his testimony account through his description of pre-war Berlin and his concentration camp imprisonment. Based on the similarities between the two accounts, it is recognizable that Bachner’s written account emerges from his oral account. By comparing memoir and testimony, the portrayal of the Holocaust message is more understandable and resonates more with the reader.