A reflection about limits

 The true essence of archives of oral history  can bring up several questions. Above all the authenticity and reliability. For the majority of people, when they deal with paper archives or registers, especially old ones, there is no way to have doubt about their authenticity. Questions are not asked. They accept the information from those archives.

 Despite of rigorous procedures, a deep question remains about the "medium" : human memory. The archivists count on it. Human memory is not infallible especially whent the events took place a long time ago. The archivists have to deal with memory blanks and sometimes psychologic traumas due to wars for example. So, blanks can be voluntaries. The archivists cannot directly check  the memory. As a consequence, they have to find other witnesses but it is often difficult.

As provoked archives, the questions remain but in that case, history manages without very interesting and lively sources. When those archives are known and recognized, there is the question of their status. Are they auxiliary or complement ? In my opinion those archives and paper archives complement each other. Archives of oral history open new horizons and perspectives for history and people who are interested in those sources.

Author : Flore-Hélène Fischer