L’ansia disumana del «raggiungimento»

The essay is a wide overview of the main outcomes of a conference on Primo Levi and the crimes against humanity, whose proceedings are included in the volume. Several connctions between literature and crimes against humanity are depicted, especially the ability of literature and movies to render the role of language in allowing the psychological survival of indivduals during and after the terrible experience of detention in a lager. Another main issue arising from literary works and movies on crimes against humanity regards the extreme moral choices people, and especially victims, are compelled to confront.