Class 9. 9/24 Resistance and passivity


Szmul Zygielbojm (1985–1943), Jewish-Polish socialist politician, leader of the Bund, and member of the National Council of the Polish government in exile.

Engel, ch. 7, “Responding to Murder,” 71–89, docs. 21–24.

Yehuda Bauer, “ Download Jewish Resistance and Passivity in the Face of the Holocaust

,” in Unanswered Questions, 235–251.

Jan Karski, Story of a Secret State: My Report to the World (1944), “ Download The Ghetto

,” 302–310.

Why were Jews throughout Europe slow to ascertain the true nature and extend of the Nazi threat? What difficulties did they face in resisting the Nazis? How should we define “resistance” in the Holocaust?