Lodz Ghetto: Inside a Community Under Siege

by Alan Adelson (Editor), Robert Lapides (Editor)

Offers a powerful testimonial to the everyday horrors and the enduring human spirit present in Lodz Ghetto

Genres: History, Holocaust, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Meaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an EXCELLENT collection of primary source documents relating to the history of the Lodz ghetto, including photographs (some are even in color), texts of speeches, diary entries, private letters, fragments of the official Chronicle of the Lodz Ghetto, published bulletins and more. I was amazed by the variety of content here. Included is what appears to be the full text of the Anonymous Boy whose Lodz diary was found in the ruins of Auschwitz -- something I'd always wanted to read, I'd only seen fragments of it before. The documents are strictly limited to the ghetto itself: there are none about events on the Aryan side of Lodz, or any from any of the death camps the Lodz Jews were deported to.

These documents are simply presented, without commentary, for the reader to form their own opinions from. There is an afterword, however, discussing the ghetto's controversial chairman, Mordecai Chaim Rumkowski, and what his intentions were and how much he knew and whether he did more good or harm. The afterword tends to be pretty sympathetic to Rumkowski, pointing out that if he failed to save the Lodz ghetto, none of the chairmen in the other ghettos fared any better.

I would highly recommend this book to any serious scholar of the Holocaust, separately or in conjunction with other books on Lodz.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a personal journey to my maternal side's family history; This is not to be be read without numerous tissue boxes nearby...

[Steve Coscia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is only for those with a strong stomach. The personal accounts are very sad. History like this must be shared and understood so it won't happen again. Excellent book!

[Christina Sanantonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive and fascinating collection of first person accounts and archival documents.