New Books In Genocide Studies

This compelling family history spans from the 1890s to the 21st century, weaving personal stories into the broader fabric of German history to reveal a deeply moving account of survival, courage, and resilience. At the heart of this narrative is Paul Bernstein, a Jewish WWI veteran who was awarded for his bravery but ultimately perished in Auschwitz in 1944, and his wife, Johanna Moosdorf, a non-Jewish woman who fought tirelessly to protect their family. Their two half-Jewish children, Barbara and Thomas, born in the late 1930s, faced constant danger during WWII. Yet, thanks to Johanna's courageous efforts and Nazi policies that treated half-Jews differently, the children survived the war. With a powerful epilogue that reflects on Germany's response to its Nazi past and its relevance to contemporary far-right movements, including those in the U.S., Holocaust: German History and Our Half-Jewish Family (Cherry Orchard, 2024) offers a timely perspective on history's echoes in today's world. This unforgettable st