From: Monica R. Edinger <edinger>
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1998 08:41:14 -0500

magilpat at walnet.walla-walla.wa.us writes:

I'm from such an assimilated German Jewish family. My great-grand father was a distinguished scientist who helped established the University of Frankfurt; my grandfather had an Iron Cross from WWI. All felt very German thus the denial although I'm not sure that is the word I would use. It seemed to be more of an optimism that this could not keep happening eventually it would end. When it became evident that it wouldn't it was too late for many, including my grandfather. I'm always sensitive to the question of why German Jews didn't leave. There is a, perhaps unconscious, sense of "blame the victim." That German Jews should have known better than any as to what was happening.

Read Peter Gay's recent memoir, Marion Kaplan's book on German Jewish women, and Otto Klemper's diary for more on what it was like for German Jews.

Monica Edinger The Dalton School New York, NY edinger at dalton.org

Monica Edinger
Received on Thu 31 Dec 1998 07:41:14 AM CST