“I find it hard even now to get into focus all these horrors; my mind is really quite incapable of taking in everything I saw because it was all so completely foreign to everything I had previously believed or thought possible.†British Major Ben Barnett’s words echoed the sentiments shared by medical students; Allied soldiers; members of the clergy; ambulance drivers; and relief workers who found themselves utterly unprepared to comprehend; much less tend to; the indescribable trauma of those who survived at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.The liberation of Bergen-Belsen by the British in April 1945 was a defining point in history: the moment the world finally became inescapably aware of the Holocaust. But what happened after Belsen was liberated is still a matter of dispute. Was it an epic of medical heroism or the culmination of thirteen years of indifference to the fate of Europe’s Jews? This startling investigation by acclaimed documentary filmmaker and historian Ben Shephard draws on an extraordinary range of materials–contemporary diaries; military documents; and survivors’ testimonies–to reconstruct six weeks at Belsen beginning on April 15; 1945; and reveals what actually caused the post-liberation deaths of nearly 14;000 concentration camp inmates who might otherwise have lived. Why did it take almost two weeks to organize a proper medical response? Why were the medical teams sent to Belsen so poorly equipped? Why; when specialists did arrive; did they get so much of the medicine plain wrong?For the first time; Shephard explores the humanitarian and medical issues surrounding the liberation of the camp and provides a detailed; illuminating account that is far more complex than had been previously revealed. This gripping book confronts the terrifying aftermath of war with questions that still haunt us today.
#1100094 in Books Schocken Books / Sepher-Hermon Press; Inc. 1974-01-01 1987-01-01Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 #File Name: 0805204636424 pages
Review
7 of 12 people found the following review helpful. Marranos...A typical Tudesco term of condecensionBy SamCecil Roth's History of Marranos...was the first book that I read about that concerned my family's background. As I mentioned before in other reviews; The Sefaradim are always chronicled by Tudescos (Askenazim). To put it lightly; they are at best insensitive and at worst condecending towards our history and worse towards our future. I wish that this wasn't the case but history shows that we have been cast in the worst light by our Nothern Jewish brethern. The History of the Sefaradim is complex; rich in duality; and historical romanticism. The irony of being chronicled by Tudescos; is that they romantize about the riches of our Spanish Golden Era and the injustices of the our inquisition. They use this as propaganda to show the greatness of Jewish history (Tudesco inclusivity) and the sufferning complex of the Jewish soul. Yet in "their" halacha there is strong contention against our brethern (Tudesco exclusivity) returning from their Jewish exile; within the ranks of Christianity. The very same thing happened in 17th Century Amsterdam i.e.; The Tudesco's condecending view of Sefaradim returning from Christian Iberia; as if they were Jews to be doubted; as if it was their fault that our parents had a choice in forced convercion? That is why as sefaradim we must question every historical account and halacha emminating from our Tudesco brethern; including Roth's skewd account. In Amsterdam their was a Sefardic tradition to not buy Casher meat from their butchers; they could not be trusted. In our days when a Jewish soul wants to come back to Their rightful religion and look for help within the Askenazi realm; they are rejected and forced to be rebaptized( that is what it ends up being) as Jews. This hummiliation is gross and has no basis that is found in the Tora; both written or oral. Yet they; the Tudescos; have placed it upon themselves to rewrite Talmudic halacha to suit their needs. In this book we find Roth saying that the Sefaradim have accepted the moniker Marrano as a "badge of honor"; and that the anusim (forced converts) descendent of Sefaradim are no longer with us and dissapered from this Earth. This is pure hyperbole of the worst kind; The desendents of the Sefaradim are here right now. Amonay (G-D) has not abanded us nor forgotten us; perhaps Amonay has protected us to this day so that we can not be doubly tainted by the Tudesco mess of Secular Zionism and their weird religion.As a historical chronical; Roth's; History of the Marranos; is somewhat factual and somewhat skewed. I hardly recommend it; because Roth can never be our spokesperson. He is a good writter and witty at times; but he also is blind as a bat when it comes to the Sephardic phenomena. Therefore; read it with a grain of salt.0 of 10 people found the following review helpful. A history of the Marranos; (Harper Torchbooks; The Temple Library/TB812 P)By G. VasquezI received my book promptly and in good order.
