Imaginary Neighbors offers a unique and significant contribution to the contemporary debate concerning Holocaust memory by exploring the most important current political topic in Poland: Jewish-Polish relations during and after World War II. Drawing on the controversy and attention generated by Jan Gross’s landmark book Neighbors; whose description of the brutal Jedwabne massacre reignited the debate over Polish-Jewish relations during the war; this timely volume presents a rich and nuanced examination of the manner in which past and present relations between Poles and Jews are understood in Poland and in the Polish and Jewish diasporas.
#850831 in Books Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2013-11-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .55 x 6.00l; .70 #File Name: 0802869025215 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Were all Germans silent?By Husband of CustomerGenerally we in N. America have the tendency to think that the disciples of Jesus in Germany did not pay close attention to what was expected of them. However; this book clearly indicates that there were a significant number of pastors and others who made a faithful witness in resisting the follies of Adolf Hitler. The sermons indicated that there were more faithful followers than many of us thought. The witness of the Cross was not forgotten in that convoluted time of betrayed loyalties.The basic question then and now is; "What makes a neighbor?" The cost of hearing and doing the truth is beyond our self-interest. Our need is greater than private greed. The 9 indictments are like the tolling of a bell. -- Donald D. Kaufman0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. UnfortunateBy JAIf you're reading this with the hope of gaining some critical insight into Christianity from the author himself; you're out of luck. Stroud clearly did his homework in terms of research - his failure of analysis makes one star generous. While you'll get a few allusions to the failure of Christians and Christianity during WWII; the greater half of the first third of the book is comprised of meek; complacent; sorry-sounding defenses of how Christianity and Christians did not fail. The author's incessant examples of "some" courageous souls is maddening.A few of the anecdotes Stroud relays; as well as the sermons of the pastors themselves; are this work's only saving grace - his discussions of the dangers of government use of Christianity; for example; are a harrowing cautionary tale in times when demagogic; tyrannical rulers on all levels; local and national; foreign and domestic.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Timely ReminderBy J. JohnsonConsidering the situation American churches are about to find themselves in; this is a very timely book that every pastor should read. The first half of the book is Stroud's description of the cultural situation and an explanation of what at least some of the pastors were doing to resist the tyrannical encroachment of National Socialism. With this brief historical synopsis the reader is better prepared to understand the radical nature of the sermons presented in the second half of the book.Stroud's explanatory notes within each sermon help the reader understand the significance of the words chosen and spoken by the various pastors. The selection of pastors ranges from recognized theologians to unknown rural pastors all of whom stood firmly on God's Word in the face of overwhelming opposition and spiritual lethargy. It is my opinion that these very same messages should be heard in American pulpits today.
