Elena Beletckaia

Junior Fellow (10/2025 – 07/2026)

The Notion of Home in the Holocaust Discourse: Post-war Migration in/to Eastern Europe, Israel, and the United States

This research project explores the concept of home and its sentimental value in Holocaust survivors’ narratives through a comparative analysis of audiovisual testimonies. Focusing on survivors who migrated to North America, Israel, or returned to Eastern Europe during the post-war period (1945–1949), this study employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates thematic, narrative, phenomenological, and multimodal analyses. The research examines how survivors articulate their experiences of home, displacement, and identity reconstruction. The study incorporates Noah Shenker’s methodological framework to analyze how the recording environment influences memory sharing, highlighting the emotional depth of Holocaust survivors’ recollections. Additionally, the project applies assimilation and historical trauma theories to explore the lasting emotional and intergenerational impacts of the Holocaust on perceptions of home and identity. Elena Beletckaia is a PhD candidate at Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies (HfJS) in Germany, specialising in Jewish literature and Holocaust studies. Her doctoral research focuses on Holocaust testimonies and explores the sentimental value of home within Holocaust discourse, particularly concerning post-war migration to Eastern Europe, Israel, and the United States. She has participated in recognised educational programs organised by institutions like Paideia, Yad Vashem International Holocaust School, USHMM, and the International Network of Genocide Scholars. Additionally, she is an active member of the H-Judaic network, contributing as an editor.

Elena Beletckaia is a PhD candidate at Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies (HfJS) in Germany, specialising in Jewish literature and Holocaust studies. Her doctoral research focuses on Holocaust testimonies and explores the sentimental value of home within Holocaust discourse, particularly concerning post-war migration to Eastern Europe, Israel, and the United States. She has participated in recognised educational programs organised by institutions like Paideia, Yad Vashem International Holocaust School, USHMM, and the International Network of Genocide Scholars. Additionally, she is an active member of the H-Judaic network, contributing as an editor.

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