Holocaust Voices: An Attitudinal Survey of Survivors [Hardcover]

Alexander J. Groth (Author), John R. Owens (Author), Marilyn A. Groth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003

Political scientist Alexander Groth, himself a Holocaust survivor and a former inhabitant of the Warsaw Ghetto, has collected 240 systematic interviews, which go far beyond the usual first-person accounts of private sufferings. The author questioned survivors about their anticipations and awareness of the Final Solution; their impression of those Germans who were active in it; and their views of fellow Jews, non-Jewish neighbours, Western Allies, the Pope, and sundry political and social entities active and important during the period. The objective of this study is to arrive at a general understanding of this historic tragedy from the point of view of those who lived through it and have had the opportunity of a lifetime of mature reflection. The trove of information in this volume will be especially valuable to Holocaust scholars and leaves to posterity the significant voices of the survivors.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alexander J. Groth, Ph.D., a Holocaust survivor, is professor emeritus of political science at the University of California, Davis, and the author of many books, including DEMOCRACIES AGAINST HITLER: MYTH, REALITY, AND PROLOGUE.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 278 pages
• Publisher: Humanity Books (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591021553
• ISBN-13: 978-1591021551
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,253,328 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Careful survey research and thoughtful interpretation, March 17, 2004

By 

C. Dannehl (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Holocaust Voices: An Attitudinal Survey of Survivors (Hardcover)

Alexander Groth's latest book is a provocative combination of survey research and personal voice. Groth's attitudinal survey of Holocaust survivors (including a sub-sample of those who managed to escape from Nazi control during the war) provides a wealth of information about the survivors' assessments of their ordeal and those responsible for it. The survey itself is well constructed with a sample of respondents closely representing the Jewish population in Europe in 1939. Especially interesting are the survey's findings regarding Jewish perception of potential danger before and during the Holocaust, assignment of blame for their experience, and empathy toward victims of similar activities in Bosnia, Rwanda, and Cambodia. The results serve as a springboard for Groth's critique of prominent examples of Holocaust scholarship, e.g., Arendt and Goldhagen, and a pointed reminder of broader responsibility for the events that transpired.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Contribution, April 25, 2004

By 

Edward Rabin (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holocaust Voices: An Attitudinal Survey of Survivors (Hardcover)

Dr. Groth's work is unique in holocaust studies. It is by a survivor who interviewed survivors to gain statistically valid insights into their experiences, knowledge, and attitudes both before the holocaust and after. Dr. Groth's approach is sympathetic but scholarly and objective. Of particular interest is his own assessment of the scholarship of others in this field. Although he recognizes, of course, the brutality of many Germans, he rejects the Goldhagen conclusion that the German people as a whole were particularly conditioned and prepared to perpetrate the holocaust.

5.0 out of 5 stars Holocaust Voices, April 23, 2009

By 

Liz "Liz" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holocaust Voices: An Attitudinal Survey of Survivors (Hardcover)

As a Holocaust survivor with of similar background as Dr.Groth, I appreciate the fact that he examines survivors' personal , social, and political attitudes from numerous perspectives, including their prewar lives. His research crosses the boundaries of sociology and psychology, giving clarity to the complex influences on survivors' world view. After reading this book, Survivors and their families will gain a better insight into the forces that shape our attitudes. This book is not just for those interested in Holocaust literature, it can easily serve as a model of analyzing other populations that have lived through traumatic experiences.