Persecution-Induced Reduction in Earning Capacity of Holocaust Victims: Influence of Psychiatric and Somatic Aspects

Abstract

The incidence of mental and somatic sequelae is very high in the group of persons damaged by the Holocaust. Based on the sociomedical criteria prevailing in Germany, the assessment of persecution-induced reduction in earning capacity of Holocaust victims (vMdE) is mainly orientated towards direct Holocaust-induced somatic and mental sequelae but must also take into account the interaction of direct Holocaust-induced damage with subsequently acquired physical, mental, and psychosocial factors. The current medical evaluation is focused on the question whether persecution-induced symptoms are exacerbated by endogenous factors like mental or somatic diseases and/or exogenous factors like life events. In that case the grade of vMdE could be increased. Based on the synopsis of 56 Holocaust victims, we ascertained in this study that newly acquired somatic diseases and psychic morbidities contribute to an increase in persecution-induced mental complaints.

Differences in Intrusive Memory Experiences in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder after Single, Re- and Prolonged Traumatization

“…In addition to spontaneous occurrence of IMEs, sensory stimuli known as triggers are frequently responsible for eliciting IMEs in single, re- and prolonged traumatization ( Ehlers et al, 2004 ; Kleim et al, 2013 ). However, the sensory quality and threshold intensity of triggers that elicit IMEs may differ ( Biermann et al, 2010 ; Muller et al, 2011 ; Post et al, 2014 ). Nevertheless, considering the factors influencing symptom variety might be crucial to individual therapy and to our understanding of PTSD ( Holmes et al, 2010 ; Muller et al, 2015 ).…”

Prognostic influence of witness/victim experiences and PTSD-specific symptoms on working and educational capacity: a comparison between two groups of individuals post-trauma

“…The main stress factors during the Holocaust experience were early separation from parents, confrontation with the deaths of relatives, physical impairment, and torture [ 9 - 11 ]. Thus, Holocaust survivors suffer from somatic diseases caused by traumatization, and they also experience PTSD-specific symptoms with affective and/or dissociative impairments [ 1 , 12 , 13 ].…”