Dialogues in Holocaust Studies and the Second World War

Send us Fan MailThe twentieth century saw two catastrophic world wars that resulted in the displacement of millions. Among those affected were numerous neuroscientists and biological psychiatrists from Nazi Germany and neighboring regions who had to flee during the 1930s and 1940s. A significant number of them found new homes in North America, where they made a lasting impact on the evolution of biomedical sciences. Focusing on the period from 1933 to 1989, this study investigates the enduring consequences of this forced migration on the scientific and medical landscapes in North America, as well as on the researchers themselves. Frank Stahnisch chronicles the journeys and careers of around four hundred German-speaking doctors, scientists, and researchers across two generations. Adjusting to new research environments in Canada and the United States, they contributed to the advancement of neuroscience, psychiatry, clinical psychology, and cognitive sciences, all while reconstructing their lives amidst numerous challenges such as cultural adaptation and the complexities of relicensing. Stahnisch delves into how generational dynamics, gender, international collaborations, refugee organizations, and national funding bodies influenced their experiences and impacted postwar remigration. This book offers a significant reevaluation of the brain gain thesis in migration studies by highlighting the working conditions and social integration of a prominent group of academic refugees in North America.

Send us Fan MailThis study delves into the intricate social and economic networks that this group navigated, highlighting the resilient yet informal connections between Jewish cattle traders and farmers, bonds so strong that not even relentless Nazi assaults could sever them. Stefanie Fischer employs a blend of social history, economic history, and sociology to confront the entrenched stereotype of the dubious Jewish cattle dealer. By emphasizing trust and social ties over mere economic trends, Fischer reveals the numerous contradictions that plagued the expulsion of Jews from Germany. This monograph scrutinizes the nuanced dynamics between Jews and non-Jews involved in economic and social exchanges. In doing so, Fischer reexamines prior perceptions of daily life under Nazi governance and uncovers innovative ways in which Jewish agency emerged as a pivotal force amid the exclusionary measures enacted in Hitler's Germany.

Send us Fan MailThis work tells the tale of Michael Katz, a Jewish boy who survived by hiding 'in plain sight' on the streets of Warsaw after escaping the Janowska concentration camp in Lviv (Lwow) during the Holocaust. He adopted a new name to fit in and became part of the Polish resistance. Michael participated in the Warsaw Uprising and was among the last 200 individuals to evacuate the city. This book unveils his remarkable story.

Send us Fan MailFor many years, the Holocaust in Bulgaria remained poorly studied, inadequately represented, and obscured by various political and economic agendas. A common myth arose, claiming that no Holocaust took place in Bulgaria. The narrative of the Jewish community that lived through these times has yet to be fully told. A combination of resistance and political and social factors enabled most Bulgarian Jews to survive the Holocaust, despite facing extremely difficult and harsh conditions. The Bulgarian government did not protect its Jewish citizens in Nazi-occupied Europe, leading to their deportation to Auschwitz. Jews living in territories annexed by Bulgaria were deported and later murdered in Treblinka. At least 12,000 Jews fell victim to Bulgaria's role in the Final Solution.The author, Jacky (Jacob) Comforty, was previously interviewed by Ari Barbalat on the *New Books in Jewish Studies* podcast regarding his prior book: Jack (Jacob) Comforty (with Martha Aladjem Bloomfield), *The Stolen Narrative of the Bulgarian Jews and the Holocaust*. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2021.Link: https://newbooksnetwork.com/the-stolen-narrative-of-the-bulgarian-jews-and-the-holocaustLink: https://newbooksnetwork.com/more-on-bulgarian-jews-and-the-holocaust

Send us Fan MailIn this monograph, Dariusz Jeziorny explores British diplomatic relations from 1933 to 1935, shedding light on London's viewpoint regarding the Eastern Pact and highlighting the reasoning and actions of British diplomacy within the framework of both European and global matters. Was His Majesty's Government truly invested in the success of the initiative promoted by Moscow and Paris? Did it grasp the motivations of its advocates? How did it react to the resistance from countries that were reluctant to accept such a matter? Who were London's primary negotiating partners? Can the Foreign Office be regarded as capable of tackling European challenges, especially those related to Eastern Europe? Were the earlier conclusions in academic literature correct in assessing the roles of certain powers in the failure of the Eastern Pact concept? Jeziorny tackles these inquiries through an in-depth analysis of governmental documents located in the National Archives in London, particularly the general correspondence of the British Foreign Office. He offers a captivating glimpse into the inner workings of British diplomacy and its perspectives on the French initiative.

Send us Fan MailThe Nazi-Soviet War stands as the most extensive and savage theatre of the Second World War, waged between two of the most merciless regimes ever to have existed. Uniting twenty-four of the most distinguished historians from both German and Soviet backgrounds, this Cambridge Companion offers the most authoritative yet remarkably accessible guide to this conflict. Each chapter delves into a significant facet of the war, covering topics such as military strategy, the opposing forces and their campaigns, as well as issues of criminality, occupation, alliances, the home fronts, and the legacies and myths that emerged postwar. The authors illustrate that the Nazi-Soviet War was not only a conventional confrontation where millions of soldiers engaged in monumental battles, but also an unconventional conflict marked by the systematic murder of countless non-combatants by soldiers and security forces. It was a struggle over resources, industry, mobilization, administration, and public support, with ramifications that continue to influence discussions on European security to this day.

Send us Fan MailIn this insightful monograph, Robert Cribb and Sandra Wilson recount the narratives of twelve individuals who were convicted of war crimes in Allied courts in the Asia-Pacific region following the Second World War. Included is the story of a man who managed to escape prosecution. The crimes were committed in the Philippines, Burma, Thailand, Java, Malaya, Singapore, the Maluku Islands, New Guinea, and Japan. The characters examined range from senior figures—General Honma Masaharu, who was convicted for the notorious Bataan 'death march,' and Japan’s wartime prime minister Tōjō Hideki—to lesser-known individuals: a POW camp commander, a camp doctor, a Korean guard, a nurse charged with assisting in vivisection, a doctor convicted of cannibalism, a pimp, a Taiwanese interpreter, a businessman convicted of assault, an officer convicted of massacre, and another convicted of a single execution. Tsuji Masanobu, the man who escaped, was responsible for at least two massacres. He was eventually elected to parliament, indicating the willingness of some elements in postwar Japanese society to overlook wartime atrocities.The book examines the backgrounds and careers of each character and explains how they came to commit the acts for which they were convicted. It also considers their subsequent careers, if they survived (several were executed for their crimes). Based on years of meticulous research, the book brings to life the texture of individual action and experience in the tumultuous years of conflict and occupation during the Pacific War. The authors recognize Japanese cruelty but also suggest that most of the convicted war criminals were not inherently evil. Some were out of their depth or were forced into circumstances where they made poor decisions; some obeyed illegal orders or were caught in impossible situations in a war that Japan fought with insufficient resources. Ironically, the one who got away was probably the worst of them all.

Send us Fan MailBronia Feldman never anticipated becoming the cornerstone of an underground medical network, particularly not within the harsh confines of the HASAG munitions factory's forced-labor system in occupied Poland. In September 1942, she was forcibly separated from her family, arriving there completely overwhelmed by sorrow. The only thing strong enough to keep her going is the hope of saving others. Left behind in the Skarzysko-Kamienna ghetto are her husband and two young daughters. Her 13-year-old daughter, Hajuta, has been dispatched to a nearby labor camp. Seizing a rare chance to escape, Bronia manages to reach her daughter. After a brief reunion, she is faced with an agonizing decision: to flee into the woods and join the partisans or to return to the very place she has just escaped from.When they finally reunite months later, the moment is both miraculous and heart-wrenching. Hajuta is no longer the child Bronia remembers. Together, they endure even darker days as they are deported to Bergen-Belsen in January 1945. This true account of a Jewish mother and daughter stands as a testament to bravery, love, and the delicate thread of hope that kept them going. Amidst brutality and fear, they also experience fleeting moments of humanity. Through it all, both hold onto memories of the River Kamienna, where they once danced, played music, and dreamed of a brighter future. For Bronia and Hajuta, the river symbolizes more than just a memory; it represents a promise that they may one day return home. The introduction is penned by Menachem Rosensaft, an attorney, human rights advocate, professor of law, and a prominent figure in the Second Generation movement of children of Holocaust survivors.

Send us Fan MailThis study is both captivating and long overdue, focusing on a pivotal figure in modern European history. Josef Pilsudski emerged as the foremost advocate for armed Polish resistance against Tsarist Russian domination in the early twentieth century. During the Russo-Japanese War, he traveled to Japan to secure arms and funding for a Polish uprising. In World War I, he adeptly navigated a dangerous path. He formed the Polish Legion to ally with the Central Powers in their fight against the Russians. As the war neared its conclusion, he distanced himself from the Central Powers and achieved independence for Poland. After realizing his ambition of a free Poland, he engaged in a series of lesser-known conflicts with Ukraine and Lithuania, which are brought to light by Evan McGilvray. When it became evident that Bolshevik Russia was gearing up to invade Poland, Pilsudski initiated a pre-emptive strike in 1920. Although he initially found success, the Russians managed to gain the upper hand and were nearly at the gates of Warsaw before Pilsudski's brilliant counteroffensive resulted in 'the miracle of the Vistula,' reversing the situation.

Send us Fan MailThe twentieth century saw two catastrophic world wars that resulted in the displacement of millions. Among those affected were numerous neuroscientists and biological psychiatrists from Nazi Germany and neighboring regions who had to flee during the 1930s and 1940s. A significant number of them found new homes in North America, where they made a lasting impact on the evolution of biomedical sciences.Focusing on the period from 1933 to 1989, Great Minds in Despair investigates the enduring consequences of this forced migration on the scientific and medical landscapes in North America, as well as on the researchers themselves. Frank Stahnisch chronicles the journeys and careers of around four hundred German-speaking doctors, scientists, and researchers across two generations. Adjusting to new research environments in Canada and the United States, they contributed to the advancement of neuroscience, psychiatry, clinical psychology, and cognitive sciences, all while reconstructing their lives amidst numerous challenges such as cultural adaptation and the complexities of relicensing. Stahnisch delves into how generational dynamics, gender, international collaborations, refugee organizations, and national funding bodies influenced their experiences and impacted postwar remigration.Great Minds in Despair offers a significant reevaluation of the brain gain thesis in migration studies by highlighting the working conditions and social integration of a prominent group of academic refugees in North America.

Send us Fan MailElderly Jews represented one of the most at-risk demographics during the Holocaust; however, there has been a scarcity of scholarly and literary attention directed towards their experiences. They were frequently among the initial victims of Nazi murder, and their chances of enduring the physical hardships of persecution were significantly diminished. Editors Christine Schmidt, Elizabeth Anthony, and Joanna Sliwa, along with thirteen other scholars, focus on this overlooked group in their historical research, challenging alternative narratives in historiography and memory that predominantly highlight the destruction and despair linked to advanced age during the Holocaust. Although these chapters examine how age and physical limitations rendered older adults particularly vulnerable to violence and death, they also shed light on instances of life and agency amidst catastrophic conditions. This volume serves as a significant reclamation of history and memory, broadening our comprehension of the Holocaust and the human experience during acts of genocide.

Send us Fan Mail*Invented Lives from Troubled Times* offers a refreshing viewpoint on the complex routes to resilience, narrating the saga of a large Jewish family that survived decades of intense trauma in the 20th century. In addition to exploring his family’s shared memories, which were interwoven with fabrications, misdirection, and whimsical creativity, Uninsky employs archival sources and years of observations and interactions to reveal their diverse and shifting paths to persistence. These survivors were not, as is often assumed, inevitably weakened by profound trauma and the loss of security and tangible connections to their past. Instead, they succeeded in navigating the present, inventing lives with a wide array of personalities that emerged as a canvas of extremes, from the eccentric to the conventional, the humble to the triumphantly comedic, the conscientious citizen to the rebellious criminal.

Send us Fan MailThe Berlin book burning and the assault on Magnus Hirschfeld’s Institute for Sexual Science ("Institut für Sexualwissenschaft") in May 1933 are essential components of German memorial culture. Recently, there has been a resurgence and recognition of Magnus Hirschfeld (1868–1935) in Germany, resulting in many Germans becoming aware that this significant LGBT rights pioneer died in 1935 in exile in Nice, France, profoundly affected by the Nazis' obliteration of his life's work in Germany. This book is the first to meticulously document the events that transpired between 1932 and 1935 prior to Hirschfeld’s death, especially during the seven years that followed. Alongside detailing Hirschfeld’s last years in France, this work is the first biography of Karl Giese and Karl Fein, the key figures in the aftermath of Magnus Hirschfeld in France and Czechoslovakia.

Send us Fan MailLucia Ceci delves into the complex dynamics between the Catholic Church and Fascism. New insights from the Vatican Archives shed light on specific elements of this intricate relationship: Mussolini's ascent to power, the Ethiopian war, the racial legislation, and the distinctions between Pius XI and Pius XII. This book presents a detailed reconstruction of this encounter, clarifying the reasons that led Catholics to support a dictatorial, aggressive, and racist regime. In contrast to conventional historical divisions, the account begins with Mussolini's early years in the late nineteenth century and culminates with the swift collapse of his puppet regime in 1945. This perspective somewhat alters the perception of the exceptional nature of the ventennio. 

Send us Fan MailThis study delves into the intricate social and economic networks that this group navigated, highlighting the resilient yet informal connections between Jewish cattle traders and farmers, bonds so strong that not even relentless Nazi assaults could sever them.Stefanie Fischer employs a blend of social history, economic history, and sociology to confront the entrenched stereotype of the dubious Jewish cattle dealer. By emphasizing trust and social ties over mere economic trends, Fischer reveals the numerous contradictions that plagued the expulsion of Jews from Germany.This monograph scrutinizes the nuanced dynamics between Jews and non-Jews involved in economic and social exchanges. In doing so, Fischer reexamines prior perceptions of daily life under Nazi governance and uncovers innovative ways in which Jewish agency emerged as a pivotal force amid the exclusionary measures enacted in Hitler's Germany.

Send us Fan MailMost studies on Ukrainian nationalism during the 20th century concentrate on the OUN and UPA and their military efforts for Ukraine’s independence. Ernest Gyidel’s book is distinct. It addresses a lesser-explored aspect of nationalism's history, specifically its public manifestation in the legal press during the German occupation in World War II. He examines *Krakivski Visti* (Cracow News)—the primary Ukrainian newspaper of the General Government—as a case study because of its unique position of being less affected by German censorship. Gyidel guides us through various nationalistic expressions, ranging from articles criticizing Poles, Jews, and Russians to writings that honor prominent Ukrainian authors, commemorate national sacrifices, and address the dangers of mixed marriages. He emphasizes that the narrative of Ukrainian nationalism was crafted not only by those wielding weapons but also by those using typewriters and printed words.

Send us Fan MailIn the 1940s, Spain experienced a devastating famine that claimed the lives of at least 200,000 people due to hunger and malnutrition-related illnesses. This book provides a political framework for understanding the famine, bringing together a diverse group of academics from Spain, the UK, the US, and Australia. It discusses various aspects, including the political roots of the famine, its physical and social effects, the survival methods adopted by Spaniards, the regime's unwillingness to accept international aid, the politics of cooking amid scarcity, and the legacy of the famine.This volume challenges the ongoing silence and misrepresentation surrounding the famine. It reveals the harsh truth of how lives were lost in Spain because the Francoist authorities enforced a policy of food self-sufficiency (or autarky), which included price controls and restrictions on food transport and sales. The contributors outline the significant decline in food production that followed, the widespread hoarding that occurred, and the emergence of a vast and deeply unjust black market during a time when wages fell to 50% below their 1936 levels—factors that are explored in detail for the first time in this work.

Send us Fan MailBetween 1932 and 1933, millions of Ukrainians were subjected to enforced starvation.  This sorrowful famine, now referred to as the Holodomor, is recognized as one of the most atrocious events in the history of the Soviet Union and the broader narrative of the twentieth century.  The Holodomor is an essential chapter in both Ukrainian and Soviet history, yet its importance in the global historical context is not as well understood. Although much has been documented about the intentions behind the famine, its genocidal aspects, and its impacts within Ukraine, there is a notably smaller volume of research that examines how the Holodomor was influenced by and influenced global economic, political, and international dynamics during the 1930s. The famine was widely reported in the media across the globe and became a topic of discussion among governments and world leaders. It turned into a crisis that captured the attention of observers from every continent. This assembled volume is the first to explore the history of the Holodomor from a global viewpoint.The chapters present various perspectives on famine through a multidisciplinary approach, enabling us to confront the global effects of mass starvation in Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 and to appreciate them on a scale that goes beyond the borders of Ukraine and the Soviet Union.

Send us Fan MailThis book examines the revival of Jewish communities in two post-war European cities – Wrocław (WOs-VOW), Breslau, which changed from Germany to Poland in 1945, and L'viv, which transitioned from Poland to the Soviet Union.These revival efforts were supervised by two distinct Communist regimes. The book contrasts the similarities and differences in the policies of these two nations.Regrettably, the attempts to restore a vibrant Jewish life were not successful in either case. This study clarifies why the efforts to build communities that identified as Jewish and were loyal to the Communist state did not succeed.After analyzing the prewar history and the wartime destruction of Jews in German Breslau and Polish Lwów, the book explores the postwar regimes' attempts, with the assistance of Holocaust survivors, to recreate Jewish life. It reviews the history of these developing communities up to 1968 in Wrocław (WOK-VOW) and into the 1970s in L'viv.The comparison is made in five interconnected contexts. These include the official policies towards Jews from the governments of the Polish People's Republic and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, the local application of these central policies, the specific national frameworks of Jewish life in communist Poland and Soviet Ukraine, the influence of popular and official antisemitism on postwar Jewish communities in Wrocław (WOs-VOW), Breslau, and L'viv, and the consequences of the economic and social modernization of the Communist regimes for local Jewish communities.

Send us Fan MailThis memoir recounts the story of Alex and Mela Roslan, a typical yet brave Polish family, who assist Jewish brothers in fleeing the Warsaw Ghetto. They develop a strong relationship and safeguard them throughout the Holocaust, persevering together through the difficult post-Holocaust years in Europe—a region plagued by increasing antisemitism.

Send us Fan MailThis is the first book, at least within the Hungarian context, that narrates the experiences of a larger group of ordinary individuals during the Holocaust. There were approximately 20,000 building managers, or as we might refer to them using the French term, concierges (in the current US context, the closest equivalent might be a superintendent).This book delves deeply into their wartime actions, placing them within the context of 1944, a year when Budapest faced tragedy following the Nazi German occupation in March, and subsequently the Arrow Cross takeover in October 1944.To achieve this, the author clarifies that all these individuals came from rural areas: they were relatively impoverished, first-generation residents in Hungary's only metropolis, the sole true modern city.Their establishment in the city was closely linked to the building owners who provided them with free accommodation—the concierge's lodge—but nothing beyond that, as they received no real salaries.Rather than regular wages, they relied on tips and payments from tenants, a tradition that gained particular significance when concierges had to make difficult choices about which tenants to assist in their survival—they simply could not help everyone. On the contrary, many tenants remembered them as complicit helpers of the Nazis, enforcing anti-Jewish regulations on the residents of the apartment buildings, especially those in the ghetto.Thus, in many respects, this is a distinctive narrative that readers would find valuable, as it sheds light on fundamental aspects of human nature.

Send us Fan MailThis memoir about the Holocaust shows how people can be good even when faced with terrible evil. It's a powerful story of bravery and kindness. This book -- The Courtyard -- reminds us that even in the darkest times, a small group can really make a difference.In Nazi-occupied Paris, a Jewish family is kept safe by their working-class neighbors.It's 1937, just before World War II starts, and young Bernard lives with his Polish-immigrant family in a working-class courtyard in Paris. There aren't many other Jews around, but the Parkiets feel welcomed and at home in this lively place filled with interesting characters. For Bernard, the courtyard is both a home and a playground; a magical spot where he sees his dad varnish furniture, gets into trouble with grumpy neighbors, and shares pain au chocolat with his best friend Titi.When the Germans take over Paris, everything changes for Bernard. Just hours before the Nazis come to arrest the Parkiet family in July 1942, their neighbors come together to help them. The family hides in an empty warehouse, and the courtyard turns into a safe haven. With their lives turned upside down, it's up to nine-year-old Bernard to leave the courtyard every day to find food for his family. Even with the neighbors looking out for them, danger is everywhere – even in some parts of the courtyard itself.

Send us Fan MailThe obliteration of Trochenbrod, the sole Jewish town outside of Israel, stands as a largely neglected tragedy of the Holocaust. This book gathers a remarkable array of poems, essays, and letters penned by Yisrael Beider, a native of Trochenbrod and a descendant of a long line of rabbis that can be traced back to the "Maharal of Prague." Beider lost his life during the Holocaust, yet these writings endured, becoming rare artifacts that emerged from Trochenbrod. While Beider did publish some of his works in notable Hebrew and Yiddish publications, the majority of his writings remain largely unrecognized. This translation compiles the complete surviving collection to illuminate Beider's literary and historical contributions, as well as to offer a firsthand account of life in Trochenbrod and western Ukraine during the interwar period.

Send us Fan MailThis book--*Survival Under Dictatorships: Life and Death in Nazi and Communist Regimes*--presents a complex view of how people responded to government abuse of power during three horrific events in East-Central Europe's past.  These events unfolded over roughly a decade: first, the deportation and murder of Hungarian Jews in Nazi concentration camps; next, the brutal rule of the Arrow Cross in Budapest; and finally, the Stalinist terror that affected Hungary and its neighboring regions.  László Borhi examines survival to grasp how individuals interact with authority, aiming to understand how ordinary people dealt with the oppression and fear brought on by unchecked power.  Although the specific time and place were distinct, the Hungarian narratives offer us universal insights into the Holocaust, Nazism, and Stalinism. The author argues that the experiences of National Socialism and Stalinism are intertwined in many respects.  Both regimes sought to defend their visions of the future against social groups they considered threats, which they believed had to be eradicated for a flawless society. Moreover, the methods of National Socialism were carried over.  Even with Stalinism being imposed on them by an external force, some of the skills necessary for survival were learned from their previous horrific experiences.

Send us Fan MailIn this work, Susanne Paola Antonetta explores the overlooked history of eugenics and its ties to contemporary mental health practices and politics in the United States, illustrating how we can leverage our past to inspire change.In 1939, the eugenics movement, which was gaining momentum across the West, reached its most horrific peak in Nazi Germany. The Aktion T4 euthanasia program turned five asylums and an abandoned prison into gas chambers. Tens of thousands of lives—mainly adults with neuropsychiatric disorders—were lost in these facilities, ultimately setting the stage for the atrocities of the Holocaust.Antonetta points out that psychiatry’s “Bible,” the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, was developed by a group of psychiatrists who referred to themselves as “neo-Kraepelinians,” in tribute to Emil Kraepelin—the German psychiatrist who advocated for eugenic theories and trained some of the most notorious Nazi doctors. She also highlights that the current discourse surrounding immigration serves as a painful reminder of a time in our nation when immigrants were deemed mentally “impaired,” with their alleged genetic “inferiority” used as justification for barring their entry.Yet, while Antonetta addresses the bleakest aspects of psychiatric history, she presents a courageous vision for the future of mental health care, intertwining her personal experiences with psychosis and illuminating the narratives of Paul Schreber and Dorothea Buck, two historical figures who exemplify models for mental care and acceptance.This compelling investigation navigates the range of neurodiversity, from the tragic effects of dehumanization to the life-changing possibilities of understanding and acceptance. In this book, Antonetta not only reveals the shortcomings of our history but also imagines a more compassionate and enlightened approach to mental health care. This narrative embodies tragedy, resilience, and hope—a call to action for change that boldly challenges the boundaries of how we define, characterize, care for, nurture, and support those affected.

Send us Fan MailIn his seminal work, The Concentration Camp Brothel: Forced Sexual Labor Under Nazi Rule, Robert Sommer reveals the hidden atrocities of sexual forced labor within the SS camp system, a subject that has been largely neglected and seldom addressed in Holocaust discussions. Through his comprehensive research involving over seventy archives and poignant interviews with more than thirty survivors, including former clients of camp brothels, Sommer crafts a powerful and harrowing depiction of the horrors that occurred. This publication is the first to offer a detailed analysis of the establishment, operation, and significant impact of brothels in Nazi concentration camps. Sommer’s investigation meticulously details how these brothels were incorporated into the concentration camp system, their role in the Nazi regime's exploitation of individuals for control and profit, and the complex reactions of the prisoner community to these establishments. He explores the desperate survival strategies employed by women forced into sexual labor and the chilling motives of their oppressors. The book also contextualizes the tragedy of camp brothels within the broader narrative of sexual violence during the Nazi period, establishing an essential connection between these acts of exploitation and the wider history of the Holocaust. This updated English edition presents new insights and perspectives since the original German publication in 2009, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. The foreword by Annette F. Timm adds further context and contemporary analysis, enhancing the book’s importance and depth.This interview introduces listeners to the findings Sommer presents in his research.