Beyond courage: The untold story of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust by Doreen Rappaport
Candlewick Press, 2012. ISBN 9780763629762.
(Age: 14+) Doreen Rappaport's themes are resistance and survival.
Despite her Jewish upbringing and numerous books and films about the
Holocaust, she felt that her knowledge of the subject was limited
and
embarked on years of research. The result may surprise those who
assume
that there is nothing new to say about this event.
The structure of the book emphasises the immense scope of the
tragedy
by relating stories of young people across Europe who resisted
entrapment, and by leaving accounts of those in concentration camps
until last. Each section begins with an explanation of one of the
machineries of genocide, from the introduction of discriminatory
laws
to the confinement and murder of Jews in ghettoes and camps. The
narrative ranges from dramatic escapes to determined attempts to
maintain meaningful lives in desperate situations. Equally moving,
are
accounts of non-Jewish people who were also targeted for elimination
and forced labour, or who risked their own lives to save the lives
of
others.
Readers are taken into the experiences of people whose names and
photographs personalise the statistics. The author's focus on
courage
ensures that her grim subject matter is also inspiring.
The extensive bibliography and meticulously recorded source notes
are
the hallmark of an accomplished historian but the sub-title
threatens
the book's credibility. Although some previously unpublished oral
histories have been included, calling the whole book 'the untold
story'
overlooks long standing records of Jewish resistance. The author's
principal premise that Jews did not go 'like sheep to the
slaughter',
remains an important issue. However, over sixty years and several
more
genocides later, her stories also highlight the terrible dilemmas
which
confront everyone living under repressive, totalitarian regimes as
well
as humanity's failure to learn from history. &
Beyond courage has been written in an accessible narrative
style
by an
award winning author who understands the raw power of documentation
and
personal testimony. Readers can ponder for themselves, the insights
gained from the events it chronicles.
Elizabeth Bor