The Jews in Poland and Russia vol. 1 1350 to 1881

About this book

Each of the three volumes of this magisterial work provides a comprehensive picture of the realities of Jewish life in the Polish lands in the period it covers while also considering the contemporary political economic and social context. Volume I: 1350 to 1881 provides a wide-ranging overview down to the mid-eighteenth century including social economic and religious history. The period from 1764 to 1881 is covered in more detail with attention focused on developments in each country in turn especially with regard to the politics of emancipation acculturation assimilation and forced integration. Volume II: 1881 to 1914 explores the factors that had a negative impact on Jewish life as well as the political and cultural movements that developed in consequence: Zionism socialism autonomism the emergence of modern Hebrew and Yiddish literature Jewish urbanization and the rise of popular Jewish culture. Galicia Prussian Poland the Kingdom of Poland and the tsarist empire are all treated individually as are the main cities. Volume III: 1914 to 2008 covers the interwar period the Second World War and the Holocaust including PolishJewish relations and the Soviet record on the Holocaust. A survey of developments since 1945 concludes with an epilogue on the situation of the Jews since the collapse of communism.