About 'My Story'
The AJR My Story Project is a remarkable collection of personal testimonies preserving the voices, memories, and legacies of Jewish refugees from Nazi Europe and Holocaust survivors who rebuilt their lives in Great Britain.
The AJR My Story Project
Through 45 individual life story books, the project captures not only experiences of persecution, escape, and survival, but also the extraordinary resilience, achievement, and contribution that followed.
These stories are living histories. They document journeys from childhoods disrupted by Nazism and war to new beginnings in Britain, where individuals went on to build families, careers, communities, and lasting legacies. Together, the books offer a powerful portrait of courage, renewal, and belonging, ensuring that future generations can understand both the human impact of persecution and the strength required to rebuild after unimaginable loss.
Unlike many Holocaust testimonies, the My Story books extend beyond wartime experiences to celebrate full lives lived. They reflect creativity, determination, humour, love, and hope, while highlighting the profound contributions refugees made to British society and culture. At a time when survivor generations are diminishing, preserving these first-hand accounts has never been more important.
The My Story archive stands as an enduring act of remembrance and education: a testament to lives interrupted, lives rebuilt, and stories that must never be forgotten.
The books can be read online as PDF files or downloaded as ePub editions. A complete collection is also available at The Wiener Holocaust Library. Institutions interested in acquiring the collection, or readers wishing to purchase hardback and softback editions, are invited to contact the AJR for further information.
