I – 15 – Making the invisible visible

Making the invisible visible –

Reconstructing family history is a task that requires intensive study and a great deal of self-discipline. If you make a mistake, it’s not just your own research that is thrown off course. This problem, which is inherent in research, becomes a pitfall for the researcher when faced with critical others. They point out your mistakes and say: your work is no good. Or you present years of research with evidence, and they say: “We already knew all that. That’s nothing new!” and turn around and walk away. You shouldn’t let yourself be discouraged by either of these reactions of rejection and should continue pursuing the project. Essentially, in research, you make the invisible visible. You establish a connection to reality.

Fort de Queuleu Memorial site /SS and Gestapo torture Camp

In the photo: Prisoners being tortured at Fort Queuleu in the city of Metz. The photo is from the Struthof-Natzweiler Memorial. The prisoners were forced to sit upright for hours on long wooden benches while blindfolded without moving and were beaten from behind. The blows always came out of nowhere and caused extreme trauma to the prisoners.