I Saw the Angel of Death: Experiences of Polish Jews Deported to the USSR during World War II

Synopsis

During World War II, several hundred thousand Polish citizens were deported from their homeland by Soviet authorities and sent to the gulag; many died there. For over 60 years, the Hoover Institution Library & Archives has preserved the testimonies of more than 30,000 Polish survivors. Among these are 171 accounts of Polish Jews who suffered both German and Soviet occupation; were transported hundreds or thousands of miles to suffer again in brutal Soviet forced-labor camps; and were eventually released, escaping to the Middle East. Now, these testimonies are collected for the first time in a scholarly English translation. The accounts—recorded shortly after the events they describe, with witnesses' memories still fresh—reveal many of the systematic horrors of World War II, clearly indicating the genocidal essence of the Soviet camp system and illustrating its mechanisms. They offer extraordinary information and insight on the activities of the Polish resistance movement, Jewish religious and community life, working conditions, the experiences of women and children, and more. These testimonies form a vital historical record of systemic human brutality that should never be forgotten. But they also paint a portrait of unwavering perseverance amid the struggle for survival.

Copyright:

2022

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

Book Size:

944 Pages

ISBN-13:

9780817925062

Related ISBNs:

9780817925048

Publisher:

Hoover Institution Press

Date of Addition:

04/18/23

Copyrighted By:

the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

History, Military, Nonfiction

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.

Edited by:

Maciej Siekierski

Edited by:

Feliks Tych