Poland and the Holocaust in the Polish-American Press, 1926–1945

Contrary to the common notion that news regarding the unfolding Holocaust was unavailable or unreliable, news from Europe was often communicated to North American Poles through the Polish-language press. This work engages with the origins debate and demonstrates that the Polish-language press covered seminal issues during the interwar years, the war, and the Holocaust extensively on their front and main story pages, and were extremely responsive, professional, and vocal in their journalism. From Polish-Jewish relations, to the cause of the Second World War and subsequently the development of genocide-related policy, North American Poles, had a different perspective from mainstream society on the causes and effects of what was happening. New research for this book examines attitudes toward Jews prior to and during the Holocaust, and how information on such attitudes was disseminated. It utilizes selected Polish newspapers of the period 1926-1945, predominantly the Republika-Górnik, as well as survivor testimony.

Magdalena Kubow is a writing center coordinator and writing instructor in Ontario, Canada.

Magdalena Kubow
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 221
Bibliographic Info: 11 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2020
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7052-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3946-8
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments v
List of Illustrations viii
Preface: The Value of Testimony 1
One—The Polish Press and Polish-Jewish Relations (1926–1929) 9
Two—Prelude to the Hitler Years (1929–1933) 41
Three—The Commencement of National “Cleansing” (1933–1936) 55
Four—On the War Path (1936–1939) 77
Five—Annihilation Becomes a Reality (1940–1945) 96
Six—Why the Debate of “Who Knew What, When?” Still Matters 133
Conclusion: A Human Issue 165
Chapter Notes 171
Bibliography 199
Index 209