Book Review: "Yiddish Civilisation. The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Nation", by Paul Kriwaczek
Jews lived in central and eastern Europe for perhaps a thousand years. In that time they created a civilisation, with its own language, literature, laws and institutions, which contributed much to the history of the continent. Yet most people remember this Yiddish world only for its tragic final century.
Here is the life story of the prosperous and successful Yiddish civilisation that once supplied mint masters, diplomatic advisers, physicians and engineers, not to mention music teachers, poets and philosophers, to the royal courts and governments of Europe - and took part in the formative events of European history.
CHAPTER LIST:
1 - Bist a Yid?
a - Roots Schmoots!
2 - The Jews of Rome
a - A Basket and a Truss of Hay
3 - From the Mediterannean to the Baltic
a - As Strange as a Circumcised Unicorn
b - Sennan and Zippan
4 - The Remaking of Western Europe
a - Charles' Elephant
b - New Borders, New Allegiances
5 - At the Crossroads
a - in Every Castle a King
b - A Blessing upon Mieszko, King of Poland
6 - The New Yiddish World
a - The Language
b - The Literature
c - The Religion
d - The Scholarly Tradition
7 - Political Consolidation
a - Landowners, merchants, Artisand, Servants
b - At the Jewish Inn
8 - The Reformation
a - Hussites
b - Luther
c - Now a Miracle Happened
9 - The Yiddish Renaissance
a - Cracow
b - Prague
c - Dovid Gans
10 - Wide Horizons
a - Wealth and Honour
b - The Great Divide
11 - The Deluge
a - The Cossacks
b - Poverty and Disgrace
12 - Decline...
a - Who Permits the Forbidden
b - The Holy Creed of Edom
c - The Famous Ba'al Shem Tov, May His Light Long Shine
d - Oppose Them Strongly
13 - ... and Fall
a - The "Jewish Problem"
b - Words that Fall on Us Like Lashes
c - Shakespearean Tragedy
d - Exodus
14 - A Winter Flowering
MY REVIEW: This book is a must-read for anyone interested in or curious about Jewish or general European history. It is an absolute cauldron of information. Paul Kriwaczek gracefully guides us through the history of the Yiddish people, starting in the time of the Ancients, and through all of the key events of the last 2000 years, including the rise and fall of Kingdoms and Empires, the Reformation, War and Nationalism, and then on to today, and the rebirth of many elements of Jewish culture, mainly in the United States, but also in some European countries, and ultimately, explains to us in great detail, how these different events have effected the Yiddish Jews.
A review of this book by Susanna Clarke of the Sunday Telegraph, says: "A highly enjoyable and surprisingly positive account of how Jewish culture helped shape European history and vice versa". I could not really put it a better way. A lot of historians, Jewish or otherwise, still continue to paint the history of the Jewish people(s) as being a continuous and unending line of persecutions, which lead unavoidably to the Holocaust. Paul Kriwaczek however, does not do this at all. Of course he speaks about the persecutions and the Nazi exterminations... he could not avoid doing so. Indeed, it would be a great travesty if he did. But he does not linger, and succeeds in painting a brighter picture which, I think, would appeal to anybody with a mind to learn about other cultures.
I bought this book because my speciality as a Historian is the Jews of Late Medieval Venice. Although my theses have centered upon the era ranging from the late 14th century to the beginning of the 16th, it is, as with anything, useful to read about other eras too. I was not disappointed in my purchase, and this book has found its place amongst those of my collection which I would gladly read again and again, and always find it interesting and learn something new.
FULL DETAILS: Kriwaczek (Paul), Yiddish Civilisation. The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Nation, Phoenix/Orion Books, London, 2006 (2nd edition), 347 pages. ISBN: 978-0-7538-1903-6. Available from Waterstones, priced £10.99