Post-Interview Reflections

Wow, that was quite an experience. As expected, Zenon was very intelligent, relatable, and open with our discussion. I'm sure it must be difficult to talk about one's life during the Holocaust and to think about such topics so deeply, even decades and decades after the event. Zenon, of course, was extremely sharp, having written his book within the past decade and having his story fresh in his mind. He was eager to share with us, showing us his book in various languages and indicating certain photographs as he found them relevant to our discussion. As the interview is documented in another post, it's pointless to repeat specifics, but Zenon is a man, much like I saw in his writings, who can see the beauty of irony. His story would become more lively when he spoke about something that amused him, such as the coincidence of running into the man whose identity he had stolen and his amazement that his fraternity brothers in college knew so little about Europe.

At times, however, I was nervous that the questions I asked were somewhat difficult to answer or understand, and I recognize that it is much more the fault of the questioner than the respondent. For example, the question about Zenon's involvement with the church caused him to remind me, firmly, that he is Jewish and has always been Jewish. Also, in one question I used the word "guilty" when I think I should have used a different term (see the interview). There are definitely dangers of being insensitive or ignorant when discussing a topic such as the Holocaust, and I learned swiftly that I needed to avoided flirting with these dangers. I think, ultimately, that Zenon and I were able to clarify our positions and reach a comfortable level of understanding, and by the end of the interview he seemed very glad to be able to help our project.

Overall, this has been a wonderful experience, and certainly a challenging one. But the struggle was more against myself, my own impulses to speak without thinking, and Zenon himself was a real pleasure to have been able to meet and chat with. Donald (my partner) and I left Zenon's house very content with the information we accumulated, and I think we were both relieved that I had gone so well.