'Let nothing be forgotten': Holocaust survivors' memorial books honored lives lost and vibrant hometowns

Holocaust survivors have long sought to honor their lost hometowns and remembered the vibrant lives that existed before the horrors of the Nazi genocide. These memorial books, called yizker bikher in Yiddish, were created by communities of survivors and Jews who had left Eastern Europe before the war. The volumes serve as a testament to the destruction wrought by the Holocaust while also preserving the everyday lives that were upturned.

Each book is dedicated to documenting prewar life, the Nazi occupation, and a comprehensive list of the dead. Yizker bikher contain a wealth of primary sources, such as photographs, maps, sketches, and ephemera like posters and event flyers. After the war, survivors from various countries collaborated to create these memorial books, which often incorporated familiar community registers known as pinkes.

These books not only document the destruction but also reclaim the stories of Jewish communities, emphasizing that they were once thriving centers of life, work, and celebration. Despite their unique format and the challenges in categorizing them, yizker bikher have gained new academic and popular interest in recent years, shedding light on prewar Jewish life and the impact of the Holocaust on both the survivors and their former homes.