The Silesian town of Bedzin lies a mere twenty-five miles from Auschwitz; through the linked ghettos of Bedzin and its neighbouring town; some 85;000 Jews passed on their way to slave labour or the gas chambers. The principal civilian administrator of Bedzin; Udo Klausa; was a happily married family man. He was also responsible for implementing Nazi policies towards the Jews in his area - inhumane processes that were the precursors of genocide. Yet he later claimed; like so many other Germans after the war; that he had 'known nothing about it'; and that he had personally tried to save a Jew before he himself managed to leave for military service. A Small Town Near Auschwitz re-creates Udo Klausa's story. Using a wealth of personal letters; memoirs; testimonies; interviews and other sources; Mary Fulbrook pieces together his role in the unfolding stigmatization and degradation of the Jews under his authoritiy; as well as the heroic attempts at resistance on the part of some of his victims. She also gives us a fascinating insight into the inner conflicts of a Nazi functionary who; throughout; considered himself a 'decent' man. And she explores the conflicting memories and evasions of his life after the war. But the book is much more than a portrayal of an individual man. Udo Klausa's case is so important because it is in many ways so typical. Behind Klausa's story is the larger story of how countless local functionaries across the Third Reich facilitated the murderous plans of a relatively small number among the Nazi elite - and of how those plans could never have been realized; on the same scale; without the diligent cooperation of these generally very ordinary administrators. As Fulbrook shows; men like Klausa 'knew' and yet mostly suppressed this knowledge; performing their day jobs without apparent recognition of their own role in the system; or any sense of personal wrongdoing or remorse - either before or after 1945. This account is no ordinary historical reconstruction. For Fulbrook did not discover Udo Klausa amongst the archives. She has known the Klausa family all her life. She had no inkling of her subject's true role in the Third Reich until a few years ago; a discovery that led directly to this inescapably personal professional history.
#68501 in Books imusti 2012-04-07Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 4.40 x .50 x 6.80l; .30 #File Name: 0199580987176 pagesOxford University Press USA
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. then I would highly recommend picking up his workBy SamIf you consider yourself to be unfamiliar with early Russian history; as I did before reading Hosking’s book; then I would highly recommend picking up his work. This introductory piece travels across nearly 800 years of Russian history; outlining important dates; people; and other events that all culminated into the nation that Russia is today. A primary aspect of Hosking’s writing that made it both an effective and thought-provoking introduction was his attempt to weave an understanding of the Russian people’s mentality into the his accounts of the historical events that made up Russia’s rise as an empire. As early as the 13th century he recounts of a Mongol horde that became just the earliest example of assailants that would attempt to take the country by force. He revisits this idealistic viewpoint through Alexander’s abandonment of Moscow during the invasion of Napoleon’s “Grande Armée†in the early 19th century (Pages 50-51). Many various events are replayed throughout that involve the Russian people striving to endure from one enemy or another; which Hosking masterfully frames as being integral to the Russian lifestyle. Hosking was additionally able to project these ideals of strength and durability onto the leaders of the Russian Empire with some success throughout this brief introductory piece. He contextualizes that because this nation had faced struggles throughout its entire existence; the Tsars were given the dual role of ensuring security for the Russian people; as well as continuing to advance the country to the forefront of the countries in Europe. Peter the Great; Tsar from 1682 to 1725; had the foresight see that Russia needed to be a part of Europe to ensure its presence on the world stage as a power; and that serfs could be swayed to join the military by simply giving them a higher pay than they earned in their serfdom. This second point is outlined on page 38; stating that “[w]hen peasants joined the army; their lives were transformed...[t]hey ceased to be serfs and gained a few modest rights – a uniform; [and] regular pay.†Peter was essentially greatly rewarding them for their willingness to fight and die for the Russian Empire. My only critique of Hosking’s work is that which he could not control; which was the briefness of the work itself. Obviously the intention of the piece was to be concise; yet this route leads to a skimming over of many major people and events that otherwise would have required in-depth explanations for readers to fully comprehend. However; that point aside; Geoffrey Hosking is successful in compressing the events of nearly 800 years of Russian history into just 154 short pages.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. SHORT BUT INFORMATIVEBy Sid HarrisA Short but easy to read history of Russia.It can not possibly cover the complexity of all Russian history. A good introduction.7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Russian History In A NutshellBy Robert W. HarrisVery concise;very short complete history of Russia; the Russians and other Slavic people; and the Soviet Union. I studied the larger book by Mr.Hosking.
