The Rescue Turn and the Politics of Holocaust Memory

This collection offers an enlightening European tour of Holocaust commemorations. The case studies analyze the rescue turn: a growing emphasis on assistance given to Jews in memory politics, observable at international, national, and individual levels. Written by an interdisciplinary team of proficient researchers, this volume gives fresh insights on how the image of the rescuer both relates to globalization of Holocaust memory and to scant national sensibilities, eager to promote a guilt-free and politically usable narrative, often tending to blur their responsibilities.

~Audrey Kichelewski

In this timely volume, scholars from diverse disciplines scrutinize Holocaust narratives of rescue efforts in ten European countries. Illuminating the intricacies of memory deployment, they offer insightful analysis on the cosmopolitanization of memories and the contestations that ensue. A must-read for anyone interested in the politics of historical memories.

~Daniel Levy

The assistance, both individual and collective, provided to Jews by their neighbors during the Holocaust is one of the few heartening features of this tragic period. In recent years, with the widespread rise of populism, this has often been instrumentalized to provide a more positive image of the national past during the Nazi occupations and to obscure the fact that assistance of this type was never widespread and often went side-by-side with cooperation with the Nazis in carrying out the anti-Jewish genocide. This comprehensive and well-researched volume provides a balanced evaluation of these hotly disputed issues in ten European countries. It is essential reading for all those interested in the complex and difficult questions of assistance, indifference, and collaboration under Nazi occupation.

~Antony Polonsky

Since the Holocaust became a European foundational past, and the question of the reactions of 'bystanders' one of its most controversial themes, its better understanding is of more than academic importance. This comprehensive volume offers advanced analysis of relevant politics in key European countries and insightful case studies, pointing to some highly disturbing tendencies.

~Dariusz Stola

This volume is a significant multidisciplinary contribution to scholarship on the public valorization of narratives of rescue. Bringing together established and emerging scholars, this anthology draws attention to the different scales of the representation of rescue at transnational, national, local, and individual levels and explores their relationships in public discourse across different national contexts.

~Hannah Holtschneider