Listening to History. Claude Lanzmann's Interviews on the Holocaust

Previously unknown reel-to-reel tapes document numerous conversations he and his assistants conducted in the 1970s with Holocaust survivors, perpetrators, and other witnesses.


The audio archive was created during the research for the film Shoah (1985). It was donated to the Jewish Museum Berlin and was inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2023.


This guided tour offers insights into Lanzmann’s research project and introduces the specifics of listening to historical audio sources. Participants can listen to selected recordings through headphones. Careful listening reveals various aspects, such as the hesitation of survivors to speak about their experiences or the denial and deflection strategies used by perpetrators. Before and after the listening session, there is time to discuss observations, thoughts, and feelings. Reflecting on how  listeners in the present perceive these recordings is an integral part of the tour.


Please note: The recordings contain accounts of severe acts of violence.


IN GERMAN