Holocaust Survivors in Postwar Germany, 1945–1957

by Margarete Myers Feinstein

Stranded in Germany after the Second World War, 300,000 Holocaust survivors began to rebuild their lives while awaiting emigration. Brought together by their shared persecution, Jewish displaced persons forged a vibrant community, redefining Jewish identity after Auschwitz. Asserting their dignity as Jews, they practiced Jewish rituals, created new families, embraced Zionism, agitated against British policies in Palestine, and tried to force Germans to acknowledge responsibility for wartime crimes. In Holocaust Survivors in Postwar Germany, Margarete Myers Feinstein uses survivor memoirs and interviews, allowing the reader to “hear” the survivors’ voices, focusing on the personal aspects of the transition to normalcy. Unlike previous political histories, this study emphasizes Jewish identity and cultural life after the war.

340 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Elke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled through the firts 100 pages
But then gave up and only read the highlights
It's a wonderfully documented and researched book, but too academic for me
Too detailed, too repetitive
But still: what an insight this gives into a time we seldom read or think about and has puzzled me since many years.
Because what happens to people once released from camps? Do you embrace your enemy neighbours? What about your incredibly poor health? Who will help you?
After liberation, who stays behind to build up your life again? Where is your family? Did anti semetism just diappear?