Symultaniczny obraz rzeczywistości utrwalony w dziecięcej wyobraźni. O Księgach pamięci gmin żydowskich Ciechanowca, Jedwabnego, Łomży i Stawisk

Abstract

Books of remembrance dedicated to Jewish communities in Łomża are historical sources as well as cultural reflections, offering a new perspective on the past of places and people. While reading these recollections preserved in the memory of former inhabitants of the Łomża region and Jews of Łomża, we notice the attachment of the narrators to the place of birth and their special memory of neighbors. The way in which they share their memories, particularly those preserved in children’s imagination, opens up our senses, helping the contemporary reader recreate the past times of old inhabitants, bringing back their images with accuracy, and thus reconstructing events that have shaped our regional history. This is instrumental in consciously building up an objective view of the past and balancing the perception of its difficult moments. We discover that we feel the same as the people who are not with us anymore. This recognition surprises us many times, but above all else, it makes us aware of the fact that it is through common memory that we express our respect for past generations. Even more generally, such thinking is certainly a good foundation for building up and consolidating closer relations between groups, communities and nations.