Europe Against the Jews: 1880–1945

In this sweeping and persuasive study, German historian Aly (Why the Germans? Why the Jews?) investigates how and why “the architects of genocide were able to find support for the Final Solution in nearly all of the countries occupied by or allied with Germany.” Noting that the phrase “anti-Semitism” first appeared in 1880, Aly links Russian pogroms, nativist political movements, and unequal distribution of industrial progress to this new form of hostility based on “national, social, and economic arguments.” Though contemporaneous observers claimed that anti-Jewish sentiment arose from envy and “base greed,” the reality, according to Aly, was that restrictive laws curtailed professional opportunities for most Jews. In the wake of WWI, efforts to compel Jewish emigration from Eastern Europe intensified, leading to persecution and violence. While France let in tens of thousands of Jewish refugees in the 1930s, other countries, including the U.S., curtailed entry permits, leaving few safe options for relocation. During WWII, leaders in Croatia and Romania seized the opportunity to rid their countries of Jews. Aly packs this dense account with statistics and analysis, making a convincing case that “the pace and extent” of the genocide could not have been achieved without widespread cooperation. This expertly researched account is destined to influence future histories of the Holocaust. [em](Apr.) [/em]