I had never thought so deeply about the concept of identity before. In 2016, I came across stories of children abducted by the Germans during World War II and a statement that I heard many times later from the victims\u2019 mouths: \u201cI have lived my whole life and I do not know who I am<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\u2013 she answers.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n We recommend:<\/strong> What Do We Regret Most Before We Die? Final Thoughts and Words<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only does science suggest that identity is formed based on individual experiences but also through belonging to various social groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are social beings<\/p>\n\u2013 recalls Aleksandra Porankiewicz-\u017bukowska, PhD, from the Department of Sociology of Culture at the University of Bia\u0142ystok.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n We have evolved as a species in such a way that we develop many basic skills through interactions with other people<\/strong>. In children, the attachment-based relationship with loved ones stimulates the nervous system, thus developing the ego, mind and personality. We are talking about early childhood, but social relationships are essential for our well-being throughout our lives.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n When we feel we belong, we have a sense of stability and security. It is one of the foundations of mental health. We learned how much isolation<\/a> means and how damaging it is quite recently during the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Porankiewicz-\u017bukowska graphically compares identity to a multidimensional concept, plastic structure, reflecting the social relationships into which the individual enters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contemporary identity is as complex as the sociocultural context that surrounds us. It involves belonging to multiple structures, groups and sometimes even cultures. It operates on several levels simultaneously, with us taking on various roles and belonging to multiple groups. This allows us to maintain mental stability even in the event of losing connections with one of those groups<\/p>\n\u2013 she explains.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n According to Ewelina Karpi\u0144ska-Morek, identity is a key aspect of our self-perception, both individually and socially<\/a><\/strong>. It is the foundation on which we build our lives and relationships. In wartime, when a person becomes deprived of their name and surname, their place and date of birth are changed, and all ties to their past are severed, their identity becomes a battlefield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Nazi regime effectively stripped people of their identity. Children were abducted from orphanages, hospitals, and schools, their names and surnames were changed, and they were taught German.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a common identity theft<\/p>\n\u2013 our interlocutor emphasizes.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n This process was not limited to children<\/a>. Prisoners of concentration and extermination camps were reduced to numbers, stripped of all personal items and marked with special symbols to indicate their affiliation to the persecuted group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social identity, built over the years, was destroyed in an instant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We recommend:<\/strong> Where Are the Limits of Forgiveness? To Forgive Does not Mean to Forget<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nStrength of Belonging<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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German War Crimes and Identity Theft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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