Book Description
They hid wherever they could for as long as it took the Allies to win the war -- Jewish children, frightened, alone, often separated from their families. For months, even years, they faced the constant danger of discovery, fabricating new identities at a young age, sacrificing their childhoods to save their lives. These secret survivors have suppressed these painful memories for decades. Now, in The Hidden Children, twenty-three adult survivors share their moving wartime experiences -- some for the first time.
There is Rosa, who hid in an impoverished one-room farmhouse with three others, sleeping on a clay pallet behind a stove; Renee, who posed as a Catholic and was kept in a convent by nuns who knew her secret; and Richard, who lived in a closet with his family for thirteen months. Their personal stories of belief and determination give a voice, at last, to the forgotten. Inspiring and life-affirming, The Hidden Children is an unparalleled document of witness, discovery, and the miracle of human courage.
Customer Reviews:
The story of those who survived.......2006-10-16
In Nazi-occupied Europe the pre-war Jewish child population came to about 1.6 million. During the war an estimated 1.5 million Jewish children where killed , leaving only 6 to 7 percent of them alive at the end of the war.
Through 60 interviews with former child survivors, the author puts togehter a fascinating book that traces the story of a few of the Jewish children who survived the Holocaust , hiding in attics , convents , sewers and forests. In some cases they where helped by having fair hair and looking less 'obviously Jewish'.
It provides a compassionate and inspiring account , always reminding us of the humanity and childhood of the hidden children.
It also deals with the lives of hidden children , after the war , as it traces their adult lives , and the effects of having to hide their identity , living in fear , and often , seeing their loved ones murdered.
They where often faced with the imminent threat of discovery and saved by a series of miracles.
These accounts are important to preserve in an age where genocide continues in places like Darfur in the Sudan , and has taken place in Cambodia , Rwanda and Kurdistan.
Today influential voices are calling for an end to the State of Israel (which was in many cases built by holocaust survivors), which would certainly lead to a second holocaust aginst the Jews living there.
It is up to us to prevent a second holocaust from occuring, by fully supporting Israel in her struggle to survive and fighting anti-Israel prejudice.
inspiring read.......2006-03-21
heartfelt and well written- it was great to have the interviews written and turned into short stories by a writer who wasn't directly involved in the holocaust. having jane marks writing it, she sees it from the perspective you and it do- from the outside. great book
Unforgettable.......2006-02-08
This is an unforgettable book about the fate of many Jewish children who survived during World War II all over Europe. From a very young age they had to learn to hide the truth about their origin.
Many among the very youngest could not hide with their families because the risk was too big (they could be noisy, cry or tell the truth). Many were placed in foster care, and the toddlers would grow up believing that their foster parents were their real parents. After the war many children in this category were traumatized when they were given back to their real parents.
One of the really interesting aspects of this book is that it follows the hidden children from pre-war era until the 1990s. In this way we are told also about the problems and benefits they 'harvested' after those hidden years.
I also found it very interesting to read the two last chapters:
one puts the Hidden Child's experience into a historical perspective and one telling us about the psychology behind being a Hidden child. These two chapters are written by Nechama Tec, Ph.D. and Eva Fogelman, Ph.D.
This is an easy and very interesting book to read. It is well written and highly recommendable.
Stolen Childhood..........2001-11-11
This is a must-read, along with "Suddenly Jewish" by Barbara Kessel, and "The Mezuzah in the Madonna's Foot" by Trudy Alexy. Several years ago at Temple beth Israel, we heard true stories from others in our Community who had been raised as Gentile, only to hide, or remember, or discover, that they are actually Jewish; it will make you laugh, cry, and pray for those among us who suffered so much to glorify The Name. Please honor them by educating yourself and others in reading of these things.
An unforgettable account of children's struggle for survival.......2000-10-25
I have read and re-read this book. Never before did I realize what hidden children went through to survive. It is assumed that they were safe in homes, attics, or barns and far removed from the fears of other children in worse circumstances. However, this is untrue. These children had to, in many cases, hide their identity, learn whole new life stories and names, and sometimes even religions. They had to worry about family they may never see again, and their own possible discovery or betrayal. It is a testament to their courage that they survived and have gone on to live honorable lives, even while still struggling to deal with all the psychological ramifications of such a life in their formative years. A wonderful read that would be good for young people as it does not bog down in technicalities.
Book Description
For the 75th anniversary of Anne Frank's birth, an important publishing event - the first full-color visual book celebrating the legacy of Anne and her famous house. The photographs compiled here are in both black-and-white and color; they are vivid and moving, and make a lasting impression. The reader experiences the house and its relics, and sees photos of Anne's family and friends, the people who helped them and the changing Amstrerdam neighborhood where they lived.
Customer Reviews:
Inside Anne Frank's House: An Illustrated Journey Through Anne's World.......2007-06-12
I visited Anne Frank's huis in Amsterdam. This book not only brought me back there, but allowed me to digest the details of what they illustrated. Very moving! A topic people all over the world mustn't forget.
While the book followed the tour of the house, there are areas of the book that seem to have a weak translation into English. I wanted to absorb every written word, but there were areas that were not very clear. But I wouldn't give up the book for that. Thank you Ms Westra! And Thank you Mr. Frank for sharing the story of your precious little girl. I'm sure you are with her now.
Great book, but watch out -- it's got two titles!.......2006-05-09
FYI, for those of you who have been to the Anne Frank House:
Except for the cover, Inside Anne Frank's House is COMPLETELY IDENTICAL to the deluxe edition of a book sold in the Netherlands and on annefrankhouse.org under the title, Anne Frank House: A Museum with a Story. (Here's the link to the other version: [...])
It's a beautiful book, well made and with many, many large photos, and I heartily recommend it. But it's not so beautiful as to warrant inadvertantly buying two, like I did. ;)
WOW THIS BOOK ON ANNE FRANK WAS SO GOOD.......2005-03-07
Look at the subject it says it all. Basically its about the history beyond her, hiding place, diary. The text and photos wre good. Basically knew everything about her, but the main reason bought book is the photos that I haven't seen it yet. Thank you.
An Illustrated Journey.......2005-01-09
I have long been interested in the story of Anne Frank. Over the years I have read many books about her and I continue to reread the diary every year. Recently, this book came to my attention and I gave it a read. There is much about it that impresses.
This book is subtitled An Illustrated Journey Through Anne's World and that seems appropriate. The key attraction of the book are the hundreds of photos that fill its pages, many of which I had never seen before. With its oversize, coffee table book format, and slick pages, it is a beautiful thing to look at. Where the book begins to let the reader down is the text.
Granted, the text is minimal and what there is can be highly informative and descriptive; however, I noticed a number of typos in my edition and many of the pictures were mislabeled (if the label could be found at all). It also seemed like different people were in charge of different sections of the book because there was no consistency to the presentation. I actually liked the structure of the first section of the book, where German history ran in small pictures along the bottom of the pages and the Frank family filled the top. I wish this style would have continued because it was very informative and allowed the reader to make connections but this was dropped rather quickly.
Still, there is a lot to be said for this book. It's cliche that a picture says a thousand words but it is amazing the emotion that is captured in some of these shots, particularly if you know the story behind them.
We Remember, If Only We Would Learn.......2004-12-15
It's an ordinary house, not spectacular at all. It wouldn't be worth photographing at all except for the extraordinary young lady who lived here and who kept a diary during one of those times when the devil was loose on the earth and good men did nothing to stop him.
But because of this young lady and her extraordinary diary this house is a monument, a church if you will, that commemorates not just this girl but all of those who went with her, and all of those who tried to help them.
The book itself is beautifully done, not only a photographic guide but a history, a memorial in its own right with quotations and photographs of objects displayed in the actual exhibition. ==Let us never forget!
Let us also remember the other holocausts that followed to prove that we didn't learn enough: Rwands, Cambodia, Ethnic Cleansing in former Yugoslavia, and what may happen in Iraq between the Sunni, Shiite, and Kurds.
Average customer rating:
- wonderful series
- Great subject for a children book.
|
Who Was Anne Frank? (Who Was...?)
Ann Abramson
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Biographies
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
People of Color
| Biographies
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Biographies
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Holocaust
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Holocaust
| History & Historical Fiction
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Jewish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Frank, Anne
| ( F )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Jewish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
( F )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Holocaust
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Biographies
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Historical
| Biographies
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
People of Color
| Biographies
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Holocaust
| History & Historical Fiction
| Teens
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Who Was William Shakespeare? (Who Was...?)
-
Who Was Daniel Boone? (Who Was...?)
-
Who Was Helen Keller? (Who Was...?)
-
Who Was King Tut? (Who Was...?)
-
Who Was Leonardo da Vinci? (Who Was...?)
ASIN: 0448444828 |
Book Description
In her amazing diary, Anne Frank revealed the challenges and dreams common for any young girl. But Hitler brought her childhood to an end and forced her and her family into hiding. Who Was Anne Frank? looks closely at AnneÂ's life before the secret annex, what life was like in hiding, and the legacy of her diary. Black-and-white illustrations including maps and diagrams provide historical and visual reference in an easy-to-read biography written in a way that is appropriate and accessible for younger readers.
Customer Reviews:
wonderful series.......2007-05-13
I highly recommend this series as a wonderful way of introducing your 3rd or 4th grade child to the world of biographies. There are many personal elements shared that go beyond what the person is primarily remembered for. A must for any upper elementary teacher's classroom library!
Great subject for a children book........2007-03-25
Great subject for a children book. I got this series of books for my daughter and she really enjoyes reading them. Great read and educational too.
Book Description
As the Nazi Army closed in on Europe at the onset of World War II, desperate Jewish families were forced to flee their homes. Their lives were in danger, and they had no safe place to go. In this book the authors tell the poignant stories of some of the desperate children, collected in interviews both of survivors and the families who helped them in a small village in southern France. Time line, glossary, bibliography, and index,
Customer Reviews:
Hidden on the Mountain: Stories of Children Sheltered from the Nazis in Le Chambon.......2007-08-06
This non-fiction book is a unique collection of real-life accounts from individuals who as children were sheltered during the Nazi era in the mountains of Southern France in a town called Le Chambon. This work is quite admirable, as individuals interviewed recall their experiences in journal form. The stories attest to the heartbreak and the realistic dangers of the times, but provide an added sense of hope and an appreciation for those who rose up against evil. Each entry is followed with an epilogue that gives the reader the satisfaction of knowing what has become of each child. The stories are not without pain and great loss, but what shines through is the righteousness of the citizens of La Chambon. The Jewish children who were sent to La Chambon, a Protestant community, were separated from their parents. In the face of trauma, the children were warmly welcomed into their new community. The children attended school, worked on farms, and participated in activities with other children. The uniqueness of La Chambon was in the sense of duty the entire community had in protecting the Jewish children. Many of the individuals discuss their Judaism, including the struggle to make sense of their religious identity. The "Note to Readers" in the beginning of the book, clearly details the research process and the care taken by the authors to share these stories with authenticity. The authors' passion for the project is felt throughout the book. For ages 11- 16.
Protected Children of WWII Tell Their Stories.......2007-04-01
I just chanced upon this remarkable book: Hidden on the Mountain by Deborah Durland DeSaix and Karen Gray Ruelle: Stories of Children Sheltered from the Nazis in Le Chambon. The authors spent four years finding and interviewing people, who as children and youth were protected during WWII by this community. They have then masterfully proceeded to tell their stories.
Le Chambon is a mountainous region of France inhabited by Huguenot Christians. These people, many poor farmers, opened their homes and supported three children's homes for children needing safe haven during WWII. Many of these children were Jews. They are credited with saving at least 3,500 Jews as well as about 1,500 other refugees.
In addition to the memories of the children and youth, the book includes a detailed time line of events of the war; numerous pictures of the children, people, and places mentioned in the book; a glossary; index; maps; and informative chapters about the war, the region, and its people.
This book was written for children and is exactly what I am looking for to share with my children, ages 10 and 13, as we study WWII.
A wonderful book .......2007-03-22
This book is geared for preteens and reflects absolutely accurately the interviewees' stories. We can attest to it, because we were there and are written up in the book. To this day, the people of Le Chambon do not understand why they are going down in history because "they only did what was right". This book is definitely worth reading.
Hanne & Max Liebmann
Book Description
AWolf in the Attic is a powerful memoir written by a psychoanalyst who was a hidden child in Poland during World War II. Her story, in addition to its immediate impact, illustrates her struggle to come to terms with the powerful yet sometimes subtle impact of childhood trauma. A Wolf in the Attic follows the author's life as she gradually becomes able to reclaim her past, to understand its impact on her life and the choices she has made, and finally, to heal a part of herself that she had been so long taught to deny.
Customer Reviews:
psychoanalytically-informed Holocaust/coming-of-age memoir.......2007-03-17
"Memoirs, the signature literary form of the 21st century, speak to us
privately of the most intimate aspects of life. The fact that Sophia Richman is a
child survivor of the Holocaust as well as a psychoanalyst and applies both of these vantage points to her life narrative, takes this memoir into new territory.
She writes of the realms of childhood, adolescence and adulthood through the
prism of someone whose very existence once depended on keeping a
secret. This is an engaging and very special book in the memoir literature and one that will inspire
readers as well as writers who have difficulty formulating and then articulating their
own story."
A Different and Vital Perspective.......2002-09-27
I thought the book was excellent! I have read dozens of books about the Holocaust and this document certainly offers a different and vital perspective that has not previously been covered in the literature. As you progress through the book, it is quite clear that the after-effects for Holocaust survivors are persistent and nagging, and greatly affect them for the rest of their lives. Sophia Richman's experience demonstrates that tragic events that surround young children can stalk in their minds like "A Wolf in the Attic".
A Unique Perspective on the Holocaust.......2002-04-02
"A Wolf in the Attic", a memoir by Dr. Sophia Richman adds a valuable perspective to the literature of the Holocaust. Dr. Richman was a hidden child in Poland who survived to tell her story of what it meant to transcend such an ordeal and then go on to try to strive for and fit in with normal life. This work is a unique exposition of a journey to overcome a traumatic past and to engage fully in life under renewed circumstances yet with the past just under the surface. The process of coming to terms with this dicotomy is at the heart of the work and is very moving. Dr. Richman has created a compelling narrative which reveals the two faceted experience of a life of achievement and momentum amidst unconscious symbols of tragedy. The fact that the author was successful in so many ways in overcoming her trauma is an inspiration. Her story is a special one amongst Holocaust memoirs. Dr. Richman's work is highly recommended for its humanity, complexity and poignancy.
Book Description
During the final days of World War II, German SS officers crammed trains, cars, and trucks full of gold, currency, and jewels, and headed for the mountains of Austria. Fearful of arrest and determined to keep the stolen loot out of Allied hands, they concealed their treasures and fled. Most of these men were eventually apprehended, but many managed to evade capture. The intensive postwar Allied investigation that followed recovered only a sliver of this mountain of gold. What happened to the rest of it, and what fate befell these men?
Authors Alford and Savas answer these questions and many more in this fast-paced and well-written new book. Their groundbreaking study is based upon thousands of pages of previously unpublished and recently declassified documents. The result is a fresh and absolutely original reading experience that offers insights into the minds and methods of these SS thieves, the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA) within which they labored, how they achieved their positions of near-absolute power, the complex Allied investigation into their activities, and what happened to the vast sums of wealth they looted from Europe's Jews.
Nazi Millionaires deftly captures the high drama surrounding these men and women and the secrets they carried with them during the closing days of World War II--and in some cases, to the grave. It is a remarkable tale of greed, lust, fraud, deceit, treachery, and murder. And it is one you will long remember.
About the Authors: Kenneth D. Alford, of Richmond, Virginia, is the author of Great Treasure Stories of World War II and The Spoils of World War II. Theodore P. Savas has written or edited a dozen books, including Silent Hunters: German U-Boat Commanders of World War II. He lives in El Dorado Hills, California.
Customer Reviews:
Yawn...what a shocker...not.......2004-05-09
I was given this book as a gift, and I can only hope that my friend did not pay full price.
Having read through it, let me convey the overriding sarcastic thought that kept racing through my mind: oh gee, what a surprise. Just think about it...the Nazis, who murdered millions of innocents, had the audacity to steal millions as well...shocking.
I cannot remember a less revealing book connected to WWII. The bio stuff has some interesting bits, but the main theme lacks drama and contributes absoltuely nothing to our knowledge of the period.
In my opinion, the 2 star rating is being kind.
More biography than gold.......2003-06-20
After recently finishing this book, I must admit, I enjoyed it. But I could not shake the lingering disappointment I had with the book strictly based on it's lack of attention to the subject at hand- the hidden gold. I chose this book as a book to review for my War Crimes class and was disappointed to find out that the book covers more biographical information about the Nazis than it does about the actual hunt and discovery of the gold. The book itself is extremely well written and researched but ultimately strays from the subject. Regardless, definitely a good purchase for WWII enthusiasts.
A good grasp on the truth.......2003-03-09
"Nazi Millionaires" is well-written and entertaining as well as informative. I read it as a professional historian and my wife as a mystery novel fanatic and we both enjoyed it equally. What really makes this a fine book is the way in which the authors skillfully separate the truth from the hype, speculation, and romanticization that characterize all too many "lost treasures" books. In addition, they have turned up and pieced together some important new material on World War II.
Solidly Researched Book on Fascinating Subject.......2002-12-27
I loved this book primarily for three reasons.
First, it is based upon first class research, something you rarely find these days in the history field. So many books are based on secondary works and the opinion of others. This is one of the major reasons I bought this book. Almost every end note is based upon a report, diary, letter, interview, trial record, and so on. That is important to me. The analysis and opinions and conclusion based upon these records is top notch.
Second, it is on a subject that has not gotten as much attention as it deserves. How were the Nazis able to get away with methodically pillaging entire countries?You have to have a lot more than just a strong army. This book explains the organization (RSHA) and the men who set up the system within the system that made this all possible, and the authors did it better than I have ever seen it done.
Third, this book is exceptionally well written. Most history books plod along with one dry fact after another. Nazi Millionaires has so many "hooks" to keep you reading that, for a while, I thought I was reading a good Clancy book! One chapter ties into the next, and you can't help but keep turning the pages.
I found two downsides, both rather minor. First, although the book was chronologically organized, I thought the ending was sort of sudden. The Postscript offers a glimpse of what happened to the major characters, and this helps smooth this out. (But Kaltenbrunner was left out of the Postscript, which seems like a mistake.) Second, I wish the book had a few more maps. There is one overall map in the front, which helped a lot. But these are very minor points and maybe not even worth mentioning.
Overall I loved this book (and the binding is quality as well). I already passed it along to my friend to read, and he says it is "awesome." Thanks, Alford and Savas. Write another one!
Another dirty little secret from the master race.......2002-10-11
Paul from Oklahoma City
I bought another book from this publisher called "Through Hell From Hitler," and I liked it a lot, so I tried this one after reading the posted reviews. I was not disappointed.
I knew I would like this book as soon as I finished the first two pages of the preface, which ended the first section with the hanging of an SS officer. The authors did not reveal his identity until the last sentence, building the suspense and tension with wonderful details drawn from a New York Times article. Very well done! The first couple of chapters methodically set in place the Nazi government and describe the RSHA (a large SS office that oversaw the pillaging and killing of Europe's Jews), but the rest of the book is fast-paced, well written, and informative.
A few of the high placed Nazis got what they deserved, but this book exposes many of the lower ranking officers who not only escaped justice but seem to have successfully hidden their loot, and maintained postwar access to it. Several of these guys, Hirschfeld and Hottl being but two examples, cut deals with the Americans and worked for our government or walked away as free (often very rich) men. My two favorite personalities were Kurt Becher and Franz Konrad. Their tales are simply amazing and very well presented. Women play a role here too. Not altogether pleasant ladies.
All in all a great read about a fascinating subject. The documentation seems very thorough, the production quality is good, and the postscript called "Loose Ends" (clever double entendre), ties everything up nicely. Did the Countess really get away with a chest full of gold? I can't recommend this book enough. Why it is not higher on the sales counter beats the heck out of me.
Book Description
A powerful story of survival, loss, and hope
Isaac was seven when the Germans invaded France and his life changed forever. First his father was taken away, and then, two years later, Isaac and his mother were arrested. Hoping to save Isaac’s life, his mother bribed a guard to take him to safety at a nearby hospital, where he and many other children pretended to be sick, with help from the doctors and nurses. But this proved a temporary haven. As Isaac was shuttled from city to countryside, experiencing the kindness of strangers, and sometimes their cruelty, he had to shed his Jewish identity to become Jean Devolder. But he never forgot who he really was, and he held on to the hope that after the war he would be reunited with his parents.
After more than fifty years of keeping his story to himself, Isaac Millman has broken his silence to tell it in spare prose, vivid composite paintings, and family photos that survived the war.
Customer Reviews:
a Powerful book.......2006-09-24
A very powerful and exquisite book. I recommend this book to all middle school educators. It would do well on a summer reading list. The book is moving and empowering. The hidden children are often an overlooked part of high school Holocaust studies. This book speaks volumes about human nature, from the couple who took him in, a Hidden Jewish child, to exploit a slave like labor, to the people who really helped him survive. Isaac Millman's description of the changes in his life from the perspective of the child that he was during the is moving and informative. This is a courageous book. I recommend it to All.
Also, the artwork is stellar. Very moving on so many levels.
Story of Survival.......2006-05-03
Isaac Millman tells the true story of his youth spent in hiding from the Nazis in a compelling memoir that features his outstanding artwork. We follow young Isaac as he and his parents enter the Free Zone of France, only to find that this is only a respite until the Nazis again intrude. Isaac's father is taken to a "camp", which he and his mother are allowed to visit once; then disaster falls as he and his mother are rounded up for deportation. How Isaac escapes and is placed in foster homes for the duration of the war is told through Millman's sparse writing and his vivid drawings. As with most Holocaust tales, there is no happy ending, but Millman survives and is able to share his journey with us, and that is all we can ask. This is a splendid book that shows how even the youngest victims of the Holocaust found inner strength. We are privileged to know their stories. Recommended.
A first-person memoir for grades 5-8.......2005-11-03
During World War II over a million Jewish children were murdered by Nazis: survivors were often those who were in hiding. Author Isaac Millman was one of these children, and his story recounts the kindness of strangers, his move from city to countryside, and how he was forced to shed his Jewish identity to survive. After the year he kept his story to himself: fifty years later it's told, in Hidden Child's series of black and white photos and first-person memoir for grades 5-8.
Book Description
The image of the Jewish child hiding from the Nazis was shaped by Anne Frank, whose house--the most visited site in the Netherlands-- has become a shrine to the Holocaust. Yet while Anne Frank's story continues to be discussed and analyzed, her experience as a hidden child in wartime Holland is anomalous--as this book brilliantly demonstrates. Drawing on interviews with seventy Jewish men and women who, as children, were placed in non-Jewish families during the Nazi occupation of Holland, Diane L. Wolf paints a compelling portrait of Holocaust survivors whose experiences were often diametrically opposed to the experiences of those who suffered in concentration camps.
Although the war years were tolerable for most of these children, it was the end of the war that marked the beginning of a traumatic time, leading many of those interviewed here to remark, "My war began after the war." This first in-depth examination of hidden children vividly brings to life their experiences before, during, and after hiding and analyzes the shifting identities, memories, and family dynamics that marked their lives from childhood through advanced age. Wolf also uncovers anti-Semitism in the policies and practices of the Dutch state and the general population, which historically have been portrayed as relatively benevolent toward Jewish residents. The poignant family histories in Beyond Anne Frank demonstrate that we can understand the Holocaust more deeply by focusing on postwar lives.
Customer Reviews:
A Sociologists investigation of Hidden Jewish Children.......2007-06-13
Diane Wolf conducted interviews with 70 Jewish people who survived World War Two by being hidden by Gentiles. I found the stories of the hidden children that are included in the book fascinating. The chapters where Ms. Wolf presents her findings I found generally less fascinating. Ms. Wolf does find that anti-semitism was pervasive in Holland, before, during and after the war. She holds this responsible for the deaths of what she estimates is the one third of hidden children who were betrayed. (Anne Frank and her family were betrayed by a Dutch neighbor.) The former hidden children report that the postwar period was more difficult than what they endured during the war. After the war the Dutch government established a body to decide the fate of these children. Some returned to their parents, some were kept by the people who had hid them, others were given to relatives or placed in orphanages. Many of the former hidden children report how wrenching it was to discover postwar that the people they thought were their parents were not, and found themselves entrusted to biological parents who were complete strangers to them. In many of the case histories Ms. Wolf reports that restoring the children to their biologic parents or relatives did not turn out well. Ms. Wolf's research has implications in the court cases of recent years where children who were placed at birth have been restored to biologic parents after years of court battles. Ms. Hunter's study shows that severing the bond between a young child and their maternal figure has devastating lifelong effects. Something courts have not considered when deciding what is in the best interest of a child.
Average customer rating:
- Mediocre
- Take Note: An Influential Book
- Take Note: An Influential Book
- Terrible Book
- Not a Great Book
|
Rape Warfare: The Hidden Genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia
Beverly Allen
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Rape
| Abuse & Self Defense
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Bosnia and Herzegovina
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Croatia
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Serbia
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Holocaust
| Jewish
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Criminology
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| AIDS
| Abuse
| Adults
| Aging
| Children
| Class
| Communities
| Culture
| Death
| General
| History
| Leisure
| Marriage & Family
| Medicine
| Men
| Occupational
| Race Relations
| Religion
| Research & Measurement
| Rural
| Social Groups
| Social Situations
| Social Theory
| Suburban
| Urban
| Women
True Crime
| True Accounts
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Women's Studies
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Women's Studies
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
War
| Specialties
| Law
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Mass Rape: The War Against Women in Bosnia-Herzegovina
-
This Was Not Our War: Bosnian Women Reclaiming the Peace
-
Srebrenica: Record of a War Crime
-
Rape: Weapon of Terror
-
The Key to My Neighbor's House: Seeking Justice in Bosnia and Rwanda
ASIN: 0816628181 |
Customer Reviews:
Mediocre.......2003-08-16
Mostly a personal account, not much real data. Sort of a feminist take on rape in wartime, but a little under-researched and over-dramatized. Not recommended.
Take Note: An Influential Book.......2001-04-02
Rape Warfare was a courageous book to write: Beverly Allen dared to speak out about how rape was being used systematically before `historical consensus' had validated that claim. Thus it became an influential and historically significant work, credited today with having been instrumental in the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal's decision to change international law so that war rape might now be prosecuted as a "crime against humanity." The very first convictions under this new law were handed down in February 2001.
Incidentally, some apparently not up-to-date on recent strides in research approaches, failed to grasp the importance of the inclusion in Rape Warfare of Dr. Allen's personal responses, especially considering the situation on the ground in the Balkans at that time. The information coming from interviews is always shaped by the attitudes and expectations of the interviewer. Thus it becomes the interviewer's duty to both REVEAL and SITUATE the details of her/his own subjectivity.
By withholding the gruesome details of the rapes, Allen protected the women she interviewed; she spared them the kind of re-victimization they experience when journalists pander to public prurience, making pornography of these women's horrors. Nonetheless, or perhaps even, therefore, Rape Warfare is also `about' the power of stories; it makes a significant contribution to demonstrating that narrative, often disqualified as "not objective," is, in fact, a valid tool for discovering the deepest truths.
[Susan Schwartz Senstad is the author of MUSIC FOR THE THIRD EAR (Picador, 2001), which treats the fate of, among others, a Croatian woman who seeks asylum in Norway after being subjected to the mass rapes in Bosnia.]
Take Note: An Influential Book.......2001-04-02
Rape Warfare was a courageous book to write: Beverly Allen dared to speak out about how rape was being used systematically before `historical consensus' had validated that claim. Thus it became an influential and historically significant work, credited today with having been instrumental in the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal's decision to change international law so that war rape might now be prosecuted as a "crime against humanity." The very first convictions under this new law were handed down in February 2001.
Incidentally, some reader reviewers, apparently not up-to-date on recent strides in research approaches, failed to grasp the importance of the inclusion in Rape Warfare of Dr. Allen's personal responses, especially considering the situation on the ground in the Balkans at that time. The information coming from interviews is always shaped by the attitudes and expectations of the interviewer. Thus it becomes the interviewer's duty to both REVEAL and SITUATE the details of her/his own subjectivity.
By withholding the gruesome details of the rapes, Allen protected the women she interviewed; she spared them the kind of re-victimization they experience when journalists pander to public prurience, making pornography of these women's horrors. Nonetheless, or perhaps even, therefore, Rape Warfare is also `about' the power of stories; it makes a significant contribution to demonstrating that narrative, often disqualified as "not objective," is, in fact, a valid tool for discovering the deepest truths.
[Susan Schwartz Senstad is the author of MUSIC FOR THE THIRD EAR (Picador, 2001), which treats the fate of, among others, a Croatian woman who seeks asylum in Norway after being subjected to the mass rapes in Bosnia.]
Terrible Book.......2000-12-29
Allen knows zilch about the Balkans, knows nothing about the war, prattles on incessantly about herself. Seems she heard some horrifying stories of mass rapes from acquaintances and decided to write about how bad that made her feel. That's it. If you care about that, then this book is for you.
Not a Great Book.......2000-03-17
After reading the book, I read all of the reviews below. This book isn't as bad as the worst critics make it out to be, but it's not as good as the apologists purport. It's just another read. If you get assigned it for a feminist class, relax, read it, and move on. It's a strange book because it's not really about Bosnia - not having much to offer about politics or the war. It's not about sexual politics - being just another feminist screed. But it's mostly about the writer's own personal thoughts on rape as a military tool. If that interests you, you'll enjoy the book. If not, you probably won't be able to finish it.
Book Description
Though the Nazis forced most of Warsaw's Jews into the city's infamous ghetto during World War II, some 28,000 Jews either hid and never entered the Warsaw Ghetto or escaped from it. This book-the first detailed treatment of Jewish escape and hiding during the Holocaust-tells the dramatic story of the hidden Jews of Warsaw.
Gunnar S. Paulsson shows that after the 1942 deportations nearly a quarter of the ghetto's remaining Jews managed to escape. Once in hiding, connected by elaborate networks of which Poles, Germans, and the Jews themselves were largely unaware, they formed what can aptly be called a secret city. Paulsson challenges many established assumptions. He shows that despite appalling difficulties and dangers, many of these Jews survived; that the much-reviled German, Polish, and Jewish policemen, as well as Jewish converts and their families, were key in helping Jews escape; that though many more Poles helped than harmed the Jews, most stayed neutral; and that escape and hiding happened spontaneously, without much help from either the Polish or the Jewish underground. He suggests that the Jewish leadership was wrong to dismiss the possibility of escape, staking everything on a hopeless uprising. Paulsson's engrossing book offers a new perspective on Jewish honor and Holocaust history.
Customer Reviews:
Objectivity.......2005-03-09
Steve Paulsson detached himself from biases, preconceived ideas and any political expediency and performed commendably objective scientific research of a very difficult subject.
Many readers may find his conclusions surprising or at least unexpected. But I find his logical approach based on solid data very convincing. A lot has been written about the heroic efforts of many Poles helping the Jews, and on the other end of the spectrum criminal elements killing or denouncing the Jews hiding from the Nazis. Secret City in a very logical way demonstrates that the vast majority of the Polish population of Warsaw, even if generally negatively biased towards the Jews actually did nothing to deliberately harm them.
The conclusions of the book are based on rigorous statistical analysis of the available documents and data.
Author is naive about Stalin.......2004-04-13
(...)
Steve Paulsson used to post regularly on H-Holocaust and he was a
peace-maker, trying to lower tempers of people discussing Polish
anti-Semitism.
His book, a welcome addition to the history of the Holocaust, holds
that many Jews survived the German attack on Warsaw, the forced
ghettoization, the revolt in the Ghetto and the doomed Polish
Uprising by hiding (openly or underground).
But he is still a peace-maker as can be seen in this observation
about why the Red Army did not cross the Vistula:
"With Soviet forces on the other side of the Vistula, no one expected
that more than three months would elapse before they were freed. (It is indeed a curiosity that it took the Red Army longer to get across the Vistula than to reach Warsaw from the pre-war Polish-Soviet border, or to cover the distance from Warsaw to Berlin.)"
Of course, Stalin was not Paulsson's subject, but the statement in
the quotation verges on naivete. We all know why the Red Army waited for the Germans to eradicate as many as possible "London" Poles.
_Secret City_ is a whole new chapter in the writing of the history of
the Holocaust. Paulsson takes particular aim at the work of Raul
Hilberg, whose work I blasted some 20 years ago in my "Mala's Last
Words," which is available on line at
http://www.ideajournal.com/articles.php?id=15
Unlike Prof. Hilberg, Paulsson does not rely on German records for
his finding that Holocaust historians have missed a significant
number of Jews who survived the German raids on Warsaw and outlived the Ghetto Uprising. They simply disappeared, both from the Germans and from the history books.
In "Mala," I listed the four aims of Jewish resistance. Foremost of
these was survival, if for nothing else than to say Kaddish for those
who did not survive. Not all who disappeared survived. But each
survival is a joy, not something to be bewailed.
Paulsson says that they were missed because historians could not wrap them in the flag of valor for armed resistance and because the
survivors themselves had guilty feelings about their survival.
According to Paulsson's careful data, some 28,000 Jews simply
vanished by hiding or by finding shelter on the "Aryan" side (usually
for a hefty fee). Complicating this is that many Polish Jews were
Yiddish speakers who did not know proper Polish, and for others, they "looked" Jewish.
But the careful data, alas, are one of the weaknesses of the book.
Paulsson offers up scads of statistical data to prove his thesis. He
even begins a chapter with an apology for the statistics that follow.
That does not mean that 28,000 survived the entire war. Paulsson
posits that 17,000 Jews survived to the eve of the Warsaw Uprising.
He does not know how many lived through the war.
But there are huge strengths, too. Paulsson drops little gems without trying to exploit them for better reading. For instance, Jews had to fear discovery because they were circumcised, but some were able to pass themselves off as Karaites and, yes, there were Karaites in Poland. Some passed as Moslems. It would be nice to know more about these, especially in view of the liturgical difficulties Paulsson lists for Jews who went to church while passing as Catholics.
Then there is the story of the Hotel Polski, a trap set by the
Germans to catch Jewish survivors. Paulsson estimates that 3,500 died because of it, but there is not even a touch of drama in his
retelling of this episode.
Throughout the book, even a peace-maker like Paulsson, could not hide the fact that many Jews were killed by Poles, even in the relative freedom of the Polish Uprising. He documents the blackmail and extortion by Poles, too. It does not emerge as a book that makes one love Poles.
One of Paulsson's stronger arguments is his use of the "dog that did
not bark," which, in this case, points to Poles who did not denounce
Jews, even when they knew where they were. He relates many such
instances.
But there are other weaknesses in the book too. There are maps that are useless because the type is too small, or because they do not explain points made in the text.
Debunks Some Anti-Polish Stereotypes, But Parrots Others.......2004-04-01
Paulsson mixes highly original and very unoriginal thinking. He uses quantitative approaches, backed by simple statistics, in order to avoid the selective quoting of anecdotes to support predetermined conclusions. He also factors what he calls "the dog did not bark" situations (where only atypical events were recorded).
Further development needs to be made of the theme, based on quotes from Germans (p. 240) that German hatred of Poles was natural, whereas German hatred for Jews was "according to orders". If accurate, it undercuts the special victim status that many Jews claim relative to Poles, as it underlines the eventual genocidal intentions that Germans had for Poles. Parenthetically, the sentiments are probably mutual, which helps explain why Jewish hostility towards Poles appears, to this day, to be much more common and intense than Jewish hostility towards Germans.
The belittling of Polish aid to Jews, typical of Holocaust materials and discussions, evaporates in the face of Paulsson's analysis, which indicates an unexpectedly high 7%-9% Polish participation rate in the substantial aid to Jews. Pointedly, this figure would be even higher had 1) More Jews fled the ghetto (p. 35, 248), 2) There been no death penalty for aiding Jews, and 3) The privations of Aryan Warsaw had not been so severe (p. 248). Oft-repeated insinuations that Polish indifference and/or betrayals (see below) had been THE limiting factors of Jewish survival are clearly incorrect and inflammatory, and must be withdrawn.
We keep hearing of fugitive Jews as having almost zero chance of survival owing to numerous fanatically anti-Semitic Poles determined that not a single Jew escape the Holocaust. By contrast, Paulsson estimates that 6 in 7 fugitive Warsaw Jews were NOT betrayed. Furthermore, he proves that most Polish blackmailers (szmalcowniki) just wanted money and that very few of them actually turned Jews in to the Germans. Moreover, the szmalcowniki comprised only 0.4% of Warsaw's Polish population. Poles who would actually murder Jews or turn them in occurred at a rate of one individual per many thousands (probably little different from the Polish-on-Polish fatal betrayal rate).
The gravitation of szmalcowniki to fugitive Jews (p. 162), rather than simply a manifestation of anti-Semitism, is readily explicable by blackmailers' natural preference for vulnerable targets. Also, Paulsson's claim that nearly all szmalcowniki were ethnic Poles is contradicted by Yitzhak Zuckerman, who, in his memoir, reported being accosted by Jewish szmalcowniki about as often as Polish ones.
The oft-repeated charge of the AK (Polish underground army) killing Jews is examined by Paulsson and, at least for the Warsaw Uprising, shown to be a very marginal phenomenon. Some 100 Jews were killed out of over 15,000 fugitive Jews. Less than 100 and probably less than 50 AK soldiers perpetrated the killings, a drop in the bucket of 42,000 armed men. In fact, one potential "rotten apple" (Stykowski's unit) is alone allegedly responsible for 23 Jewish deaths. Moreover, the Jewish deaths all occurred under unclear circumstances, and at least some of the killings were for legitimate reasons. Contrary to Paulsson's comments, Jewish espionage on behalf of the Germans, and enemy forces masquerading as AK units, were definitely real. So was Jewish banditry directed against Poles. Finally, the armed conflict between the patriotic AK and the Communist AL (the latter largely Jewish), incompletely submerged by their "alliance" during the Uprising, is not even mentioned.
Unfortunately, Paulsson cheapens his seminal work by lapsing into the simplistic generalizations that typify books on this subject. The customary reference to prewar Polish discriminatory policies against Jews, job-creating properties of Jewish entrepreneurship notwithstanding, neglects the magnitude of Jewish economic dominance. At 10% of the prewar Polish population, Jews owned over 40% of Poland's wealth, and were comparably over-represented at universities. The prewar economic boycotts and numerus clausus at universities were, using modern parlance, a form of affirmative action designed to get more Polish gentiles, recently emergent from peasant backwardness aggravated by 123 years of foreign rule, into Jewish-dominated institutions.
As usual, Cardinal Hlond's 1936 statement about Jews being "freethinkers, vanguards of atheism and Bolshevism" is presented unanalyzed. Rejection of the religious aspects of one's heritage, often with concomitant involvement in radical political-social movements, has always been much more common among Jews than Poles, and this was keenly felt in the mostly religious Polish society. Also, don't Hlond's sentiments find parallels to the opinions of many Orthodox Jews towards secularized Jews, notably in modern-day Israel?
Paulsson's almost obsessive focus on church teachings (e. g. "Christ killers") overlooks the virtual universality of religious prejudice of pre-ecumenical times. How many Jews, based partly on Talmudic teachings, looked down at Christians as deluded worshippers of a mere Bastard, and of three gods? Ditto for anecdotes of individual Poles regarding "deserved" Jewish suffering. Invoking Divine displeasure has always been a common response to tragic events. Remember Job's "friends"? Didn't some rabbis (e. g. Eliezer Schach) also suggest that the Holocaust was God's punishment for Jewish sins (e. g., for having become "too Christianized", insufficiently Zionistic, etc.)? As for some individual Poles found rejoicing at Jewish deaths, the sword cut both ways. Certain Jews, Polish and not, had rejoiced at Poland's tragic fate in 1939.
All the while, Paulsson completely misses the mark about the true source of Polish animosities towards Jews. He cites several anecdotal reports of Poles who regarded Jews as Poland's enemies. Contrary to his claim, neither church teachings nor prewar attitudes had been the primary root of these animosities. It was, instead, the large fraction of Polish Jews who had collaborated, in 1939-1941, with the Soviet invaders of eastern Poland, helping send hundreds of thousands of Poles to Siberia. Consequently, as is evident from some Polish statements that Paulsson quotes, more surviving Jews translated into more servants of the Russian Communists, a polemic that, unfortunately, proved prophetic in the immediate postwar years (1944-1947). Overall, though, Paulsson's work is a major step forward, and I trust that he will eventually acquire a more balanced view of mutual Polish-Jewish antagonisms.
Best book on the subject.......2004-03-04
This well-researched, well-documented and well-written book is a masterpiece. It is also unique in the way it deals with the subject of escape in Nazi-occupied Poland. The author desribes in great detail the life and experiences of those who chose evasion - hiding under false identities - as a response to the Holocaust. He also presents accurately and with an amazing perceptivity the relationships between the Jews in hiding and the Poles who hid them. As one who survived on the Aryan side of Warsaw, Paulsson's writings resonate with my own experiences. A terrific book!
Fascinating and intelligent.......2004-02-17
Paulsson has made an important contribution to the field of Holocaust study with this book. It is extremely well-written, making the rather complicated topic accessible to a lay audience. There is also a good deal of technical information, which will satisfy academics in its intellectual rigor. This book is unusual - it probes many of the field's accepted dogmas, and some of its conclusions are extremely original. I would recommend this book to any researcher in the area, under- or post-graduate student of history, or even any member of the public who has an interest in the area.
Books:
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Toyota Way
- Serpent Mage
- Community Planning: An Introduction To The Comprehensive Plan
- Essential Godzilla
- History: Fiction or Science
- Introduction to International Economics
- Killjoy
- Building with Structural Insulated Panels
- Commercial Metal Stud Framing
- The Genus Watsonia: A Systematic Monograph
My German Question: Growing Up in Nazi Berlin
Hiding to Survive: Stories of Jewish Children Rescued from the Holocaust
Survival In Auschwitz
Never to Forget: The Jews of the Holocaust
Hitler's Pope
