Reviews (4)

Comment from another non-English speaker
I have written another English-language biography about Odilo Globocnik and collaborated with Joe Poprzeczny for years while he wrote his book. I therefore feel that I can vouch for his character in this impromptu forum.
A great book about a terrible man
Globocnik was a Nazi conspirator who became one of the worst of the monsters - amazingly enough, this is the first full-length book in English about him and as such is an essential read for all interested in the period.
Fills the gap
Poprzeczny was not treated justly by the previous reviewer. Nobody before Poprzeczny wrote a biography of Globocnik in English, a man who killed 1,5 million people, most of them Jews. All major US univeristy libraries have this book now. It is quoted by academic historians and Jewish historical websites.
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Subjects:  1. 1904-1945    2. Austria    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Europe - Germany    8. Germany - History - Third Reich (1933-1945)    9. Globocnik, Odilo,    10. Historical - General    11. Historical - Holocaust    12. Holocaust    13. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    14. Military - World War II    15. Military History - World War II    16. Nazis    17. Poland    18. Waffen-SS    19. War criminals    20. Biography: historical    21. Germany    22. The Holocaust    23. World history: Second World War   

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Nationalism    6. Polish National Alliance of th    7. United States - General    8. History / Europe / Eastern    9. International relations    10. Poland    11. Social history   

Reviews (1)

A good introductory book on the subject...
Clear, concise and mostly well written account of Napoleon's 1806-1807 campaign.
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Subjects:  1. Campaigns    2. Eylau, Battle of, Bagrationovsk, Russia, 1807    3. Friedland, Battle of, Pravdinsk, Kaliningradskaëiìa oblast§, Russia, 1807    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: World    7. Military - Napoleonic Wars    8. Modern - 18th Century    9. Modern - 19th Century    10. Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815    11. Russia    12. Battles & campaigns    13. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    14. History / Modern / 19th Century    15. Poland    16. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (5)

Objectivity
Steve Paulsson detached himself from biases, preconceived ideas and any political expediency and performed commendably objective scientific research of a very difficult subject.
Author is naive about Stalin
(...) Debunks Some Anti-Polish Stereotypes, But Parrots Others
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).Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Holocaust    6. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    7. Jewish Holocaust    8. Jews    9. Poland    10. Rescue    11. Warsaw    12. World War, 1939-1945    13. History / Holocaust   

Subjects:  1. 1930-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Fischler-Martinho, Janina,    6. General    7. Historical - General    8. History: World    9. Jewish - General    10. Jewish Holocaust Personal Narratives    11. Jewish children in the Holocaust    12. Jews    13. Krakow    14. Krakâow    15. Personal narratives    16. Poland    17. Europe    18. European history: Second World War    19. Fischler-Martinho, Janina    20. Jewish studies    21. The Holocaust    22. True stories: Second World War   

Reviews (1)

Co-winner of the 2003 Prize for Polish Studies
Painting a People: Maurycy Gottlieb and Jewish Art, by Ezra Mendelsohn, published by Brandeis University Press was a co-winner of the 2003 AAASS/Orbis Books Prize, sponsored by Orbis Books in London, for an outstanding English-language book on any aspect of Polish affairs. Read more

Subjects:  1. 1856-1879    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Jewish    5. Criticism    6. Criticism and interpretation    7. European    8. Galicia (Poland and Ukraine)    9. Gottlieb, Maurycy,    10. History - General    11. Individual Artist    12. Individual Painters - 19th Century    13. Jewish Sociology    14. Jews in art    15. Eastern Europe    16. History of art & design styles: c 1800 to c 1900    17. Individual artists    18. Judaism   

Reviews (14)

Reads like a (great) doctoral dissertation
While this is exceptionally well researched it lacks the mystery and complexity that would make it more entertaining. That is not to say that it should have been or could have been more "exciting," only that it reads more like a history book than something you might pick up for a quick weekend read (which it was for me). Rigg provides excellent linearity and reviews the different individuals so the reader stays connected. The excellent historical account of Chabad and the Lubivitchers really stand out. In addition, Rigg devotes the longest chapter to the moral decisions of the Rebbe to "rescue" secular and non-orthodox Jews in the U.S. rather than those facing death in Europe. Though an important point, it was made in a few paragraphs and then became quite redundant over the next 30 pages or so. I got the feeling that the editors simply wanted more words to make a longer book, regardless of their substance. Though a remarkable account filled with amazing events, this is a book to check out of the library and read quickly.

an engrossing book
this will hold your attention and is an unusual story of how both germans and jews conspired to save a holy man. it makes one realize that such rescues were possible if only people were willing to make the effort and take the risk. it also highlights how some individual high in the nazi regime were against the persecution and destruction of the jewish people.

Beyond belief
Dr. Rigg's first book, Hitler's Jewish Soldiers, gave a careful and balanced scholarly account of those 150,000 part-Jewish soliders in the Germany military of WWII.ONe of the most amazing things I have ever encountered.He outdid himself with this follow up.Who could believe that in 1939 the U.S. State Dept. could partner with a Nazi intellignece agency to secretly rescue the rebbe from occupied, war torn Poland?The complications were staggering -- if the Nazi intelligence agents were discovered by the other Nazi agencies they would have been executed.The rebbe was mystical and eccentric and was a VERY difficult man to hide and smuggle.
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Subjects:  1. 1880-1950    2. 20th century    3. Biography    4. Habad    5. Hasidim    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Holocaust    10. Jewish - General    11. Poland    12. Rabbis    13. Schneersohn, Joseph Isaac,    14. History / General   

Reviews (3)

Himmler's Jewish Tailor
I was disappointed in the way that the book was written. It was hard for me to stay interested because they just jumped from one thing too another and some things that you had already read were repeated.

A very valuable and moving insight into the Holocaust
Jacob Frank speaks with a voice that comes from an ever distant time and place. He grew up in Poland, in a Jewish Society that was almost totally destroyed during the Holocaust. Out of the sixty four members of his familyin Poland, Jacob Frank is the only one that survived. The only physicalremnant of his entire family that still exists is a single photograph ofJacob Frank and his wife Dora. Mr. Frank carefully sewed the photographinto his clothing, and kept it hidden during nearly six years of survivalin concentration camps and prisons in Poland and Germany. He wanted alwaysto remember his wife and family; and to keep their image in his mind andheart. The poignant photograph of Jacob and Dora Frank is included in thebook. With great courage Jacob Frank tried to protect his family and tohelp other people in the concentration camps, but he was trapped in anightmare world where life had little or no value. There was not much thathe could do to protect himself, or anyone else. Jacob Frank was valuable tothe Nazis, because of his great skill as a master tailor. They needed himto make uniforms and suits. Because of his forced duties as a tailor, Mr.Frank often came into close contact with some of the leading Nazis;including Heinrich Himmler and Adolf Eichmann. He felt intense fear when hewas in their presence, and sometimes he could not bear to look directly attheir faces. He could only see shadows of evil when he glanced at them. Asone who was there and survived, he speaks with a deep and unique insightinto the Holocaust. He helps us to understand what really happened; and themen capable of carrying out a plan of genocide on a huge scale. He helps usto understand the great tragedy of entire families being murdered and lostforever. The witness and memory of Jacob Frank provide a valuable serviceto the world. His important book sheds light on a time of great darkness,and helps to stand guard against any future Holocaust.

Himmler's Jewish Tailor:The Story of Holocaust Survivor
I loved the book...I hated the book.What can I say?It's a wonderful story about a terrible time.From the time I picked up the book I found it difficult to put down.Knowing that Mr. Frank is indeed a survivor, Ineeded to get to the part where he was safe.I especially liked the wayauthor Mark Lewis presented the very essence of Mr. Frank by not alteringhis accent, his syntax.The question and answer format was interesting. Not too many questions, rather, enough to help clarify certain points.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Frank, Jacob    4. Historical - Holocaust    5. History    6. History: World    7. Holocaust    8. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    9. Jewish Holocaust Personal Narratives    10. Jews    11. Lublin    12. Lublin (Poland)    13. Personal narratives    14. Poland   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Anti-communist movements    3. Autonomy and independence movements    4. Eastern Europe - Poland    5. Europe - Former Soviet Republics    6. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    7. History    8. History - General History    9. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    10. Political Science    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Ukraine    13. Ukraine, Western    14. European history: from c 1900 -    15. History / General    16. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (1)

A Little-Known Battle That Saved European Civilization
Few people are aware of the war described by Norman Davies. In 1920, the Polish David defeated the Soviet Goliath. This, at very least, spared Eastern Europe from Communism for 25 years. Possibly, Communism would havegone on to global conquest had it not been for the outcome of this battle. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Poland    2. History    3. History - General History    4. Military    5. Military - General    6. European history: from c 1900 -    7. History / Europe / Eastern    8. History / Europe / General    9. POLAND_HISTORY, MILITARY    10. Poland    11. RUSSIA (FEDERATION)_HISTORY    12. Russia    13. War & defence operations   

Reviews (4)

Sad
Meticulously researched and documented about the bestial crimes visited on the Jews by the SS, Sipo, Orpo, SD and the Einsatzgrupppe, one also knows about the unspeakable, lesser known wholesale massacres committed willingly by other subjected peoples under German occupation (Poles, Ukrainians, Lithuaniana, to name a few). However, after the war in the Enisatzgruppe Prozess, only a few of the responsible SS and Police men were executed, and most were left off scotch free or had their sentences commuted. This certainly boggles the mind as if justice has been, or seen to be done in this most horrendous chapter of European history.
Startling Look At The Men Who Accomplished The Holocaust!
In a six-essay series originally devised as lectures, the author takes the reader deep into the hearts and minds of the men who engineered the Holocaust. As in his earlier work, he argues persuasively and with an armyof facts and figures that the decision to eradicate all of Europe's Jewsfrom the face of the planet was an incrementally derived decision. Thisargument is very much like that made by Gerhard Weinberg in his massivelydocumented history of WWII, "A World At Arms", although Browning's argumentis much more detailed and substantiated. Weinberg posited that it wasn'tuntil the Wehrmacht began to have horrendous logistics problems early inthe occupation of Poland, Latvia, and Estonia during Operation Barbarossathat they began to think in terms of a systematic and deliberate program ofextermination of the Jews. New insight into a perennial theme.
As new written sources from the early 1940s continue to turn up regularly in Russia and in its former Soviet satellites, historians are able to refine the history of the Jewish holocaust.Christopher Browning is at theforefront of this academic work.In his latest book, based on a series oflectures, he has a close look at when senior nazidom actually determined ona policy of destruction.He convincingly argues it was October 1941. Thereis an excellent chapter on Starachowice labor camp in Poland in whichsurvivor memories and new documentary evidence are shown to becomplementary.For those who want a followup to Browning's previouslypublished work, for example on reserve police batallion 101, there is afinal chapter in which the author slightly modifies his previousconclusions on the mindset of the killers.I think it is fair to say thatthis scholarly book is meant for advanced students of the holocaust, or atleast those with a fair knowledge of the historiography. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Conscript labor    2. Europe - Germany    3. Germany    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: World    7. Holocaust    8. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    9. Jewish - General    10. Modern - 20th Century    11. Poland    12. Population policy    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    15. History / Modern / 20th Century    16. World history: Second World War   

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Forestry    2. Czech Republic    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. Environmental Science    5. Forest management    6. Hungary    7. Interior Design - General    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Poland    11. Technology & Industrial Arts    12. Ukraine    13. Conservation of the environment    14. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS   

Reviews (1)

Masterfully written as well as themost balanced history of the Police Battalions
Over the last 10 or so years since the Publication of Hitler's Willing Executioners reignited the smoldering debate over the role of ideology in the prosecution of a genocidal war there have been many published books on the subject.These have accomplished their stated goals of either minimizing or arguing for the role of ideology with varying degrees of skill and hence success.Of the dozen or so that I've read thus far this one is head and shoulders above the rest.Edward B. Westermann's book is a classic in the field of Holocaust studies.
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Subjects:  1. Atrocities    2. Einsatzgruppen des Sicherheits    3. Europe - Germany    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. Military    7. Military - Strategy    8. Military - World War II    9. Nationalsozialistische Deutsch    10. Poland    11. Soviet Union    12. World War, 1939-1945   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - U.S.    3. History: American    4. United States - General    5. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    6. Economic history    7. History / United States / General    8. USA    9. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Historical - General    3. Literary    4. Biography & Autobiography / General    5. Biography: historical    6. Trafford Publishing,trafford,05-2293,052293,Rynecki,Elizabeth,George J. Rynecki,Surviving Hilter In Poland: One Jew\'s Story,1-4120-7398-7,1412073987,Jewish authors,artists,World War 2 personal narrative,Holocaust Jew,Warsaw   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Atrocities    3. France    4. Historiography    5. History    6. History - General History    7. Holocaust    8. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    9. Judaism - General    10. Poland    11. Religion    12. Western Europe - General    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. Religion / Judaism / General    15. Second World War, 1939-1945    16. The Holocaust    17. c 1960 to c 1970   

Reviews (1)

A great book for European Jewish history
It is well worth reading but I wish it was longer and more detailed.And, would it be so terrible if it were discovered that changes to Jewish religious practice in 18th Century Poland were borrowed or influenced from sources outside the Jewish religion?Maybe one day we will know more. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. Europe - General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Jewish - General    7. Judaism - General    8. Modern - 18th Century    9. Europe    10. History / General   

Reviews (2)

Well wriiten Chronicle
This is a wonderfully written and descriptive memoir.Anna's vivid and beautiful memories of her life before the war are particularly involving.I, personally, was captivated by them. Her concetration camp memoirs are heartbreaking and informative.A very worthwhile read.

A striking, gripping memoir of life in a concentration camp.
Never Far Away: The Auschwitz Chronicles Of Anna Heilman gathers and presents the memories of Anna Heilman, who fought for survival in Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Anna's life in Warsaw became one of loss and a fight to live as she recalls her life before, during and after the war. A striking, gripping memoir of life in the camp and a very strongly recommended addition to academic and community library Holocaust Studies and 20th Century European History Studies readling lists and reference collections. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1928-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Heilman, Anna,    7. Historical - General    8. Historical - Holocaust    9. Holocaust    10. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    11. Jewish Holocaust Personal Narratives    12. Jews    13. Personal narratives    14. Poland    15. Biography: general    16. Heilman, Anna    17. The Holocaust   

Editorial Review

Some historical events simply beggar any attempt at description--the Holocaust is one of these. Therefore, as it recedes and the people able to bear witness die, it becomes more and more essential that novel, vigorous methods are used to describe the indescribable. Examined in these terms, Art Spiegelman's Read more

Reviews (129)

Why are so many amazed that its a "comic" book?
...I loved this graphic novel, and so many accolades have been heaped upon this book that I need'nt say more. However, in reviewing some of the readers responses, and colligiate papers regarding the works of Maus, many seemed surprised or shocked that such amazing storytelling could be attributed to the comic book form. Why? I have been a lover and reader of comics for many years and this so - called "low" art form has produced some of the most memorable, touching, exciting, and thought-provoking material I have ever read. Granted, a large percentage of "comic" books cater to the stylized "men-in-tights" brigade, however even this attitude has changed much within the industry and modern comics. Even the long-running "hero" titles touch upon modern issues with a compexity that some people might find surprising. It should also be noted however that largely indie, underground, and other "non-mainstream" works really drive the graphic novel and comic industry in terms of content. If you thought comics simply "silly childrens stories" or "lame escapism" you should read some of the highly recommended titles of the genre and see why "comics" are being used as source material for a lot of current and upcoming films.

An Incredible Historical Perspective
Making one man's story about his life during the Holocaust into a comic book isn't contrite or demeaning. It's brilliant.
Ja! Like lightning!
Despite all the press and hype regarding it, I had never heard of Maus until mid-last year when browsing through a book store. The image of Hitler as a cat with two mice seemingly losing all hope on the cover really struck me, and I then made a blind purchase. I didn't even flip through the pages to see the art style, or read the back of the book or inside flaps to get an idea of what it was about. All I knew was that Nazis = cats, and Jews = mice. Having loved my experience in various history classes, I figured I'd get something out of this comic. Then I read it, and didn't. It all seemed bland, some parts rushed, and I didn't like the art style too much. Then, almost a year later, I reread it, and I don't know what it is, but my view changed. I actually got the characters, loved the story of survival, and understood just how bad the times were from the narrator's point of view. I still hated the art style, but everything else was meaningful. While most stories of the Holocaust rub in your face how bad things were, giving you every tiny detail about the pain and suffering, Maus takes things in a different direction. Art Spiegelman, the semi-author and artist, interviews his own father, a Holocaust survivor, and tells his story in comic form. It's not "normal" though- his father, Vladek, is a cranky old man now, and Art even makes a comment that he's now the stereotypical Jew. Maus takes both the real story of the Holocaust as Vladek experienced it, as well as the in-between portions of getting together with his father and the difficulties the two experience together in trying to make things work out. It's these little things that make the story so much more real than just simply a survivor telling their story straight forward.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Children of Holocaust survivors    4. Comic books, strips, etc    5. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    6. Graphic Satire And Humor    7. Historical - Holocaust    8. History    9. History: World    10. Holocaust survivors    11. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    12. Jewish Holocaust    13. Poland    14. United States   

Editorial Review

"What would the great, innocent artists of the past, Giotto or van Eyk, Proust or Apollinaire, have done if some spiteful demon had set them down in our flawed and tawdry world, warped by so-called Totalitarianism?...And what if they had been transported to a wealthy nation, free, but indifferent--what would they have said?" Coming of age in communist Poland in the 1960s and '70s, and living now in Paris and Houston, Adam Zagajewski writes of his experiences on both sides of this political and economic divide. More deeply, however, his prose memoir probes and explores the questions that art must always face: How do we stay spiritually alive in an oppressive culture? How do we keep burning?Read more

Reviews (1)

a poet's account
The autobiographical th