The Jewish Press and the Holocaust, 1939–1945
Palestine, Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union

This book shows the reaction of the Jewish press in the free countries in the face of the Holocaust.

Yosef Gorny (Author)

9781107425262, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 July 2014

296 pages
23.4 x 15.6 x 1.7 cm, 0.46 kg

'Gorny's conceptual study refreshingly adds to the serious treatment of the Jewish press, is daring in its comparative analysis, and remarkable for the author's ability to dive into the dense and formidable archives of several newspapers written in Hebrew, Yiddish and English.' Chicago Jewish Star

This book represents comprehensive research into the world's Jewish press during the Second World War and explores its stance in the face of annihilation of the Jewish people by the Nazi regime in Europe. The research is based on the major Jewish newspapers that were published in four countries - Palestine, Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union - and in three languages - Hebrew, Yiddish and English. The Jewish press frequently described the situation of the Jewish people in occupied countries. It urged the Jewish leaders and institutions to act in rescue of their brethren. It protested vigorously against the refusal of the democratic leadership to recognize that the Jewish plight was unique because of the Nazi intention to annihilate Jews as a people. Yosef Gorny argues that the Jewish press was the persistent open national voice fighting on behalf of the Jewish people suffering and perishing under Nazi occupation.

1. Introduction: the transnational community
Part I. From Concern to Outcry: 1939–42: 2. The Hebrew-language press in Palestine (Davar, Hatzofe, Ha'aretz, Haboqer, Hamashqif)
3. Sounding the alarm: the American Jewish press, 1939–42
Part II. The Illusion Dashed: 1942–5: 4. The Hebrew-language press in Palestine
5. The American Jewish press
6. The British Jewish press
7. The brief days of Jewish national unity (Aynikayt, 1942–5)
Part III. The Individual Confronts the Horror: 8. Itzhak Gruenbaum: 'the main defendant'
9. The optimism that deludes the intellectuals
10. Between Lidice and Majdanek
11. Remarks on the continuing Jewish angst
12. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Jewish studies [JFSR1], Second World War [HBWQ], The Holocaust [HBTZ1], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW]