The Sunday Read: ‘This Is the Holocaust Story I Said I Wouldn’t Write’

When Taffy Brodesser-Akner became a writer, Mr. Lindenblatt, the
father of one of her oldest friends, began asking to tell his
story of survival during the Holocaust in one of the magazines or
newspapers she wrote for. He took pride in telling his story, in
making sure he fulfilled what he felt was the obligation of all
Holocaust survivors, which was to remind the world what had
happened to the Jews.


His daughter Ilana knew it was a long shot but felt obligated to
pass on the request — it was her father, after all. Taffy
declined because after a life hearing about the Holocaust, she
said, she was “all Holocausted out.”


But, years later, when she learned of Mr. Lindenblatt’s imminent
passing, Taffy asked herself what would become of stories like
his if the generation of hers that was supposed to inherit them
had taken the privilege that came with another generation’s
survival and decided not to listen?


So here it is, an old Jewish story about the Holocaust and a man
who somehow survived the pernicious, organized and intentional
genocide of the Jews. But right behind it, just two generations
later, is another story, one about the children and grandchildren
who have been so malformed by the stories that are their lineage
that some of them made just as eager work of running from it,
only to find themselves, same as anything you run from, having to
deal with it anyway.


 


Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore
everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at
nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.