17
The alphabetical-phonetic system is an incredibly valuable tool for us – especially in view of the memorial wall which will include the names. We want our work to be as accurate as possible, and collaborating with the Arolsen Archives helps us to get closer to this goal.
The alphabetical-phonetic system
How can linguistic tools help identify the names of the persecutees? You can find more information about the Arolsen Archives’ alphabetical-phonetic comparison system in the linked diagram.
How do you deal with errors in the database?
We accept that mistakes can happen – and we correct them. That’s the only way to carry out this type of research. Sometimes families write to us saying, “You’ve listed our relatives as murdered – but they survived.” Moments like this are always a time to pause and reflect, and we adjust our data accordingly. Some people say we shouldn’t include names on the memorial wall because errors are inevitable. But that’s exactly what the perpetrators wanted. They wanted to erase people completely, leaving no trace. If we don’t name them, we’ll lose them a second time. Of course we want to avoid mistakes. But recording the victims’ names is the most important thing of all. If we wait for perfection, we will never get round to remembering them. The memorial wall won’t be a monument of certainty, it will be a memorial of presence. Memory is always imperfect, and that imperfection is what makes it so precious.
What does this work mean to you personally?
When I enter names in our list, I see the people in my mind’s eye. A family with three children: an 18-year-old daughter,
a 17-year-old son, and a 14-year-old child. Or a baby that’s just 2 weeks old. Or a grandmother aged 102. These aren’t just numbers – these are lives that were violently cut short. But if you get too emotional, you can’t do this work. And if you feel nothing at all, you shouldn’t be doing it. It’s a delicate balance, and fortunately we seem to be able to achieve it.