How to Interview a Holocaust survivor

As a journalist, you may be asked to interview and write a story about a survivor of the Nazi Holocaust. These people will nowadays be well above the age of 70 and more and more are starting to talk about their horrific experiences for the first time. Here are some ways to conduct such an interview.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Start the interview by asking the person about what their life was like in the years before the Nazis ruled Germany. This will break the ice and allow them to think about fond memories of their childhoods.

2. Let the survivor tell the story at his own pace. Do not rush him. If you feel he is going off-track or not getting to the point quickly enough, you can gently ask some specific questions to direct his memories.

3. As with most interviews for journalistic assignments, avoid yes/no questions and try to have your subjects paint a visual of what they went through. If you can imagine it, your readers will be able to as well.

4. Ask the survivor to describe a typical day in his or her life while living under the rule of the Nazis, whether it was in their hometown, or in a concentration camp or anywhere else. This has a much more profound effect because it's realistic for the reader.

5. Incorporate hope. Ask the survivor to share how she overcame the horror and how she got to where she is now, and what her life and family are like.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient and compassionate with your subjects. Make them feel comfortable around you. The more comfortable they are, the more information they will be inclined to share with you.

• Never interrupt an interview subject--especially a Holocaust survivor. This is their story, not yours.