Looking at Perl & Krug Together

[Eileen Angelini]

Through writing and creative expression, both Perl and Krug have addressed head on the dark shadow cast on their families by the Holocaust. With great sensitivity, they both have demonstrated how the trauma of one generation haunts the next. As someone of mixed race, Native American and White, I can relate to their struggles and greatly admire how they have articulated their journeys to understand and heal. My mother’s Potawatomi grandfather was a victim of the forced boarding/residential schools. While my mother shared some details with me before her passing in January 2021, she never wanted to really talk about it. In fact, she used to always say, “When I am ready to talk about it, I will tell you more.” However, sadly, she never was able to tell me more, partly because she kept postponing the discussion and partly because she developed dementia. I am grateful that more and more attention is finally being drawn to the boarding/residential school scandal as it allows me to appreciate a bit better my mother’s family history. Perl and Krug have inspired me to not give up on the processes of understanding.

[Author]

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