The Holocaust: An Encyclopedia and Document Collection [4 Volumes]

Biographical Note:

Paul R. Bartrop, PhD, is professor of history and director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL.

Michael Dickerman is adjunct professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Stockton University, Galloway, NJ.

This four-volume set provides reference entries, primary documents, and personal accounts from individuals who lived through the Holocaust that allow readers to better understand the cultural, political, and economic motivations that spurred the Final Solution.
The Holocaust that occurred during World War II remains one of the deadliest genocides in human history, with an estimated two-thirds of the 9 million Jews in Europe at the time being killed as a result of the policies of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. The Holocaust: An Encyclopedia and Document Collection provides students with an all-encompassing resource for learning about this tragic event--a four-book collection that provides detailed information as well as multidisciplinary perspectives that will serve as a gateway to meaningful discussion and further research.

The first two volumes present reference entries on significant individuals of the Holocaust (both victims and perpetrators), anti-Semitic ideology, and annihilationist policies advocated by the Nazi regime, giving readers insight into the social, political, cultural, military, and economic aspects of the Holocaust while enabling them to better understand the Final Solution in Europe during World War II and its lasting legacy. The third volume of the set presents memoirs and personal narratives that describe in their own words the experiences of survivors and resistors who lived through the chaos and horror of the Final Solution. The last volume consists of primary documents, including government decrees and military orders, propaganda in the form of newspapers and pamphlets, war crime trial transcripts, and other items that provide a direct look at the causes and consequences of the Holocaust under the Nazi regime. By examining these primary sources, users can have a deeper understanding of the ideas and policies used by perpetrators to justify their actions in the annihilation of the Jews of Europe.

The set not only provides an invaluable and comprehensive research tool on the Holocaust but also offers historical perspective and examination of the origins of the discontent and cultural resentment that resulted in the Holocaust--subject matter that remains highly relevant to key problems facing human society in the 21st century and beyond.

• Provides an easily readable encyclopedic collection of secondary source materials, such as reference entries, maps, and tables, that offer a breadth of content for understanding the Holocaust
• Examines a broad range of themes relating to the Holocaust, enabling readers to consider important questions about the historical experience and its implications for today
• Includes two volumes of primary source material that introduce users to the cultural, political, and economic motivations that spurred the Final Solution
• Presents memoirs and personal narratives that showcase the experiences of survivors and resistors who lived through the chaos and horror of the Final Solution
• Includes a comprehensive bibliography that serves as a gateway to further research

"This new encyclopedia from ABC-CLIO combines historical information with primary source documents and survivor testimonies. . . . This is a good starting point for anyone interested in learning about the Holocaust."

ARBA

"Much has been written about the Holocaust, but there is still a great deal to discover. . . . Testimonies included here have not appeared elsewhere. This is a good starting point for any academic or public library patrons interested in learning about the Holocaust."

Booklist

"Overall the coverage is impressive. There are already many Holocaust resources: this one stands out with its numerous recent survivor accounts and ease of use and because it is so up to date. . . . VERDICT Not for academics only, but an invaluable source for anyone interested in human history and potential for good and evil."

Library Journal, Starred Review

"Articles are up-to-date and well balanced, even when discussing topics that are disputed by different parties. . . . The inclusion of documents and testimonies distinguishes this set from earlier ones. Libraries wanting to expand their primary sources on this period will want to consider this set for purchase. Summing Up: Recommended. All academic levels/libraries."

Choice

The Holocaust that occurred during World War II remains one of the deadliest genocides in human history, with an estimated two-thirds of the 9 million Jews in Europe at the time being killed as a result of the policies of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. The Holocaust: An Encyclopedia and Document Collection provides students with an all-encompassing resource for learning about this tragic event--a four-book collection that provides detailed information as well as multidisciplinary perspectives that will serve as a gateway to meaningful discussion and further research.

The first two volumes present reference entries on significant individuals of the Holocaust (both victims and perpetrators), anti-Semitic ideology, and annihilationist policies advocated by the Nazi regime, giving readers insight into the social, political, cultural, military, and economic aspects of the Holocaust while enabling them to better understand the Final Solution in Europe during World War II and its lasting legacy. The third volume of the set presents memoirs and personal narratives that describe in their own words the experiences of survivors and resistors who lived through the chaos and horror of the Final Solution. The last volume consists of primary documents, including government decrees and military orders, propaganda in the form of newspapers and pamphlets, war crime trial transcripts, and other items that provide a direct look at the causes and consequences of the Holocaust under the Nazi regime. By examining these primary sources, users can have a deeper understanding of the ideas and policies used by perpetrators to justify their actions in the annihilation of the Jews of Europe.

The set not only provides an invaluable and comprehensive research tool on the Holocaust but also offers historical perspective and examination of the origins of the discontent and cultural resentment that resulted in the Holocaust--subject matter that remains highly relevant to key problems facing human society in the 21st century and beyond.

Review Citations:

• Booklist 12/01/2017 pg. 12 (EAN 9781440840838, Hardcover)
• Library Journal 02/01/2018 pg. 123 (EAN 9781440840838, Hardcover) - *Starred Review
• Choice 04/01/2018 (EAN 9781440840838, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:Bartrop, Paul R

Paul R. Bartrop is Professor Emeritus at Florida Gulf Coast University, USA. He is the author and co-author of several books, including Resisting the Holocaust: Upstanders, Partisans, and Survivors (2016), Encountering Genocide: Personal Accounts from Victims, Perpetrators, and Witnesses (2014) and Genocide: The Basics (2014). He is also the co-editor, with Michael Dickerman, of the award-winning four-volume The Holocaust: An Encyclopedia and Document Collection (2017) and Resisting the Holocaust: Upstanders, Partisans, and Survivors (2016).
Professor Bartrop is a Past President of the Australian Association of Jewish Studies and in 2022 was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in the United Kingdom.