Facts. Just the facts. This is a straight forward telling of how millennia of lies, fiction and vitriol- often violence too- laid the groundwork for the Holocaust. It is both a telling of the past but also a canary in the mine for what is altogether too possible in the future. What makes it more remarkable is the author is not just some historian. He is a child of the Holocaust. Literally. His parents were survivors and he was born in a Displaced Persons camp. Yet without hyperbole, he tells the story.

I think that all Jewish children who were born after the Holocaust were children of it in one way or another. Knowing what happened and experiencing subtle or sometimes blatant antisemitism, we all know, only too well if we are students of history, that it could happen again. It can lead to a determination- like those who rose up in the Warsaw ghetto- that it will never happen again. It explains as well some of the actions, without judging one way or another, in Israel.

The book is in three sections wherein the first examines antisemitism through the ages. It is a tale of woe and survival. In spite of many attempts to destroy the Jewish people, they showed an unbelievable resilience. But it is an ugly, ugly history of unreasonable hatred and constant threat. Then he goes on to tell the tale of how an insignificant Austrian could capture and build on this venom to take the world to the brink and over and in the meantime, murder 6 million Jews.

I think the saddest part of the book is the third one. In the aftermath, the few survivors were still treated with animus. The stories of the reactions of villagers when the survivors tried to return to their homes is so telling. People, like the author’s parents, are true heroes. They prevailed when everything was against them and nobody cared. The fact that so many accomplished much is a testimony to human strength because if this book does one thing, it proves, against all the malevolent lies, Jews are just people. Human beings. Like all other human beings in the world. Good, bad or indifferent.

Five purrs and two paws up.

Hyman Wolanski's Jews, Nazis and the Holocaust: What You Need to Know is rather breathtaking in scope. He attempts to cover the story of the Holocaust from the history of the Jewish people and antisemitism, dating back to the biblical and Roman eras, through the Holocaust, and even a bit of the post-Holocaust era (trials, DP camps and the like - not the story of Israel and the Middle East). All this in a single volume - and one that is not impossibly long.

Notably, Wolanski is largely successful in his attempt. The book is highly readable and informative. Of necessity given its scope, the book is rather surface level but still comprehensive. The serious scholar will want to go into specific aspects (of the history of antisemitism as well as the Holocaust itself) far more deeply than this volume does. But even one who has studied extensively will find at least some new details here. And for one who is just starting their studies and wants to get a basic overview of what happened and even, to a limited extent, why will do well to start here.

In short, this book is a welcome addition to the already exhaustive library of Holocaust studies.

I thoroughly enjoyed the brief albeit deep dive into Jewish history, the long lasting and far reaching antisemitism. I believe it is just as important to learn of the entire history that LED to the Holocaust as well as the history OF the Holocaust. The author took a very deep dive in the history of Judaism all the way back through to the events of the Bible and continued through every countries ties to Judaism through to the Holocaust.

Following this deep dive, we find ourselves in the history of the Nazis, starting with the leader, Adolf Hitler’s birth and life, including his early life, his temper, drifting through life as a vagabond who aspired to be an artist though he was turned away he made a meager living pre WWI selling paintings and collecting antisemitic collections. From draft dodging to willingly enlisting in WWI and how the treaty of Versailles and the loss of WWI led to an even deeper hatred of the current (of the time) German politicians and the Jews. The book goes on to detail the history of Hitlers rise through the ranks in until he was made Chancellor and how he ultimately wrested control.

The author covers some of the well known and less well known important members in Hitler’s party and their deeds and roles in the atrocities. I had to sit with it and digest the information but I’m very glad I read the book, I recommend this book for those seeking more information, including a deep dive backstory.