Tweet
BOOKS: MARCH OF HORRORS: TRUTH IS THE FIRST WEAPON AGAINST GENOCIDE
by Deborah E. Lipstadt, The Weekly Standard
The Weekly Standard
September 11, 2006 Monday
Terrible Fate
Ethnic Cleansing in the Making
of Modern Europe
by Benjamin Lieberman
Ivan R. Dee, 416 pp., $27.50
Ethnic cleansing has changed the face of Europe. In 1913 Salonika was
a multicultural city with more Jews and Muslims than Greek Orthodox
Christians. By the middle of the 20th century it was a Greek city with
virtually no Jews or Muslims. Until the beginning of the 20th century,
Macedonia had been home to both Bulgarians and Greeks. In 1916 Greeks
fled. At the beginning of the 20th century the western sectors of the
Russian empire were heavily populated by Jews, who had lived there
for centuries. Within a few decades virtually no Jews lived in these
areas, or in many other parts of Europe.
The Polish port city of Gdansk was once a German city. Little, if any,
of the German presence is felt there today. Izmir used to be home to
a substantial Greek population. It no longer is. In eastern Turkey
there are scores of towns and villages once populated by millions
of Armenians. The Turks expelled them in acts of unprecedented
intensity. In what was the Austro- Hungarian Empire an exceptionally
diverse mix of peoples once lived. Little of that diversity is still
evident.
These changes were the result not of natural population movements but
of brutal actions, now termed ethnic cleansing. This is the subject
of Benjamin Lieberman's compelling book.
What motivates neighbor to brutally turn on neighbor? It may be
conflicting languages, religions, or national identities. Some
attackers consider it a chance for personal gain: Never underestimate
the lure of looting, or deriving perverse pleasure from driving
neighbors from their homes. There is yet another factor: history,
or more properly put, the rendition of history to which one portion
of the population has been exposed. While these stories of betrayal
and injustice may be true, others are greatly exaggerated or false.
As Lieberman demonstrates, ethnic cleansing feeds upon itself. As
the century progressed it became an increasingly familiar response to
political situations. People knew it, and considered it a legitimate
means of solving their perceived problems.
While the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust are probably the best
known of the century's atrocities, neither is a template for ethnic
cleansing, which has generally been used by weak governments to
deflect attention from genuine problems. In contrast, the Holocaust,
the Armenian genocide, and, for that matter, Stalin's treatment of
a host of minorities, were conducted by authoritarian regimes at the
height of their power.
The Holocaust is certainly not a template because, generally, ethnic
cleansing's objective is the removal of a segment of the population
through deportations, population transfers, and forced migration. The
perpetrators know that the result of these actions could be death,
even on a massive scale. However, their objective is not murder. In
contrast, Nazi Germany chased down every Jew it could find in order
to murder them. They did so even when the men and materiel used for
the killing could have been better deployed elsewhere.
The new Jewish Museum in Rome contains a letter written on a crumpled
piece of paper by a Jew as he was being deported from the Italian
capital. It is dated May 20, 1944. Rome was liberated on June 4th. As
the Allied forces were on Rome's doorstep, the Germans, rather than
throw all available resources to repelling the enemy, were deporting
Jews to Auschwitz. The letter writer never returned.
How might ethnic cleansing be repaired and prevented in the future?
Unless refugees are returned in short order to their homes, the chances
for resettlement are very poor. If they do return, there must be local
reconciliation projects, economic development, legal proceedings,
and effective guarantees of security. Those who have committed these
acts must be apprehended and tried in the appropriate legal setting.
Lieberman believes that historians from both sides of the conflict
must work together to create an accurate historical record. It may
well be research by historians--Turkish historians in particular--that
will compel Turkey to end its genocide denial. As Turkish historians
explore what their country did, it will become increasingly difficult
for the government to continue to hide behind historical fictions. But
it is not sufficient, Lieberman notes, for the historians to conduct
research. The broader public will have to accept its findings. Once
that happens, the policymakers will have no choice but to follow in
their wake.
Germany's postwar entry into the "family of nations" was hastened by
its strategic geographic importance in the Cold War. However, that
reentry would not have been as swift or complete had Germany not openly
acknowledged and made amends for the unspeakable horrors committed by
both the Nazi leaders and millions of Germans during World War II. Its
willingness to face its past was certainly not complete. Perpetrators
were given light sentences or never prosecuted. Slave laborers found
it difficult to receive compensation. Nazi-era judges continued in
their posts. Medical doctors who participated in gassing experiments
went on to distinguished careers in Germany.
These failings notwithstanding, Germany did not shrink from
acknowledging the deeds it had committed and making some restitution
for them. This certainly facilitated the healing process.
This is a painful book to read. Many people will recoil from the
repeated tales of looting, physical persecution, and death. That
would be a mistake. The only hope for an end to this terrible march
of horrors is for people--particularly Europeans--to understand and
acknowledge it. As Lieberman notes in his conclusion, "arriving at
a new understanding of history" will not resolve all problems, but
it will increase the chances that different groups will be able to
live in peace together.
Deborah E. Lipstadt, professor of Holocaust Studies at Emory, is
the author, most recently, of History on Trial: My Day in Court with
David Irving.
by Deborah E. Lipstadt, The Weekly Standard
The Weekly Standard
September 11, 2006 Monday
Terrible Fate
Ethnic Cleansing in the Making
of Modern Europe
by Benjamin Lieberman
Ivan R. Dee, 416 pp., $27.50
Ethnic cleansing has changed the face of Europe. In 1913 Salonika was
a multicultural city with more Jews and Muslims than Greek Orthodox
Christians. By the middle of the 20th century it was a Greek city with
virtually no Jews or Muslims. Until the beginning of the 20th century,
Macedonia had been home to both Bulgarians and Greeks. In 1916 Greeks
fled. At the beginning of the 20th century the western sectors of the
Russian empire were heavily populated by Jews, who had lived there
for centuries. Within a few decades virtually no Jews lived in these
areas, or in many other parts of Europe.
The Polish port city of Gdansk was once a German city. Little, if any,
of the German presence is felt there today. Izmir used to be home to
a substantial Greek population. It no longer is. In eastern Turkey
there are scores of towns and villages once populated by millions
of Armenians. The Turks expelled them in acts of unprecedented
intensity. In what was the Austro- Hungarian Empire an exceptionally
diverse mix of peoples once lived. Little of that diversity is still
evident.
These changes were the result not of natural population movements but
of brutal actions, now termed ethnic cleansing. This is the subject
of Benjamin Lieberman's compelling book.
What motivates neighbor to brutally turn on neighbor? It may be
conflicting languages, religions, or national identities. Some
attackers consider it a chance for personal gain: Never underestimate
the lure of looting, or deriving perverse pleasure from driving
neighbors from their homes. There is yet another factor: history,
or more properly put, the rendition of history to which one portion
of the population has been exposed. While these stories of betrayal
and injustice may be true, others are greatly exaggerated or false.
As Lieberman demonstrates, ethnic cleansing feeds upon itself. As
the century progressed it became an increasingly familiar response to
political situations. People knew it, and considered it a legitimate
means of solving their perceived problems.
While the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust are probably the best
known of the century's atrocities, neither is a template for ethnic
cleansing, which has generally been used by weak governments to
deflect attention from genuine problems. In contrast, the Holocaust,
the Armenian genocide, and, for that matter, Stalin's treatment of
a host of minorities, were conducted by authoritarian regimes at the
height of their power.
The Holocaust is certainly not a template because, generally, ethnic
cleansing's objective is the removal of a segment of the population
through deportations, population transfers, and forced migration. The
perpetrators know that the result of these actions could be death,
even on a massive scale. However, their objective is not murder. In
contrast, Nazi Germany chased down every Jew it could find in order
to murder them. They did so even when the men and materiel used for
the killing could have been better deployed elsewhere.
The new Jewish Museum in Rome contains a letter written on a crumpled
piece of paper by a Jew as he was being deported from the Italian
capital. It is dated May 20, 1944. Rome was liberated on June 4th. As
the Allied forces were on Rome's doorstep, the Germans, rather than
throw all available resources to repelling the enemy, were deporting
Jews to Auschwitz. The letter writer never returned.
How might ethnic cleansing be repaired and prevented in the future?
Unless refugees are returned in short order to their homes, the chances
for resettlement are very poor. If they do return, there must be local
reconciliation projects, economic development, legal proceedings,
and effective guarantees of security. Those who have committed these
acts must be apprehended and tried in the appropriate legal setting.
Lieberman believes that historians from both sides of the conflict
must work together to create an accurate historical record. It may
well be research by historians--Turkish historians in particular--that
will compel Turkey to end its genocide denial. As Turkish historians
explore what their country did, it will become increasingly difficult
for the government to continue to hide behind historical fictions. But
it is not sufficient, Lieberman notes, for the historians to conduct
research. The broader public will have to accept its findings. Once
that happens, the policymakers will have no choice but to follow in
their wake.
Germany's postwar entry into the "family of nations" was hastened by
its strategic geographic importance in the Cold War. However, that
reentry would not have been as swift or complete had Germany not openly
acknowledged and made amends for the unspeakable horrors committed by
both the Nazi leaders and millions of Germans during World War II. Its
willingness to face its past was certainly not complete. Perpetrators
were given light sentences or never prosecuted. Slave laborers found
it difficult to receive compensation. Nazi-era judges continued in
their posts. Medical doctors who participated in gassing experiments
went on to distinguished careers in Germany.
These failings notwithstanding, Germany did not shrink from
acknowledging the deeds it had committed and making some restitution
for them. This certainly facilitated the healing process.
This is a painful book to read. Many people will recoil from the
repeated tales of looting, physical persecution, and death. That
would be a mistake. The only hope for an end to this terrible march
of horrors is for people--particularly Europeans--to understand and
acknowledge it. As Lieberman notes in his conclusion, "arriving at
a new understanding of history" will not resolve all problems, but
it will increase the chances that different groups will be able to
live in peace together.
Deborah E. Lipstadt, professor of Holocaust Studies at Emory, is
the author, most recently, of History on Trial: My Day in Court with
David Irving.