The Archaeology of the Holocaust
Vilna, Rhodes, and Escape Tunnels
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Rowman & Littlefield
Published:19th Mar '19
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
In the summer of 2016 acclaimed archaeologist Richard Freund and his team made news worldwide when they discovered an escape tunnel from the Ponar burial pits in Lithunia. This Holocaust site where more than 100,000 people perished is usually remembered for the terrible devastation that happened there. In the midst of this devastation, the discovery of an escape tunnel reminds us of the determination and tenacity of the people in the camp and the hope they continued to carry. The Archaeology of the Holocaust takes readers out to the field with Freund and his multi-disciplinary research group as they uncover the evidence of the Holocaust, focusing on sites in Lithuania, Poland, and Greece in the past decade. Using forensic detective work, Freund tells the micro- and macro-histories of sites from the Holocaust as his team covers excavations and geo-physical surveys done at four sites in Poland, four sites in Rhodes, and 15 different sites in Lithuania with comparisons of some of the work done at other sites in Eastern Europe. The book contains testimonies of survivors, photographs, information about a variety of complementary geo-science techniques, and information gleaned from pin-point excavations. It serves as an introduction to the Holocaust and explains aspects of the culture lost in the Holocaust through the lens of archaeology and geo-science.
Once again, Richard Freund has demonstrated the enormous contribution that archaeology can make to understanding the Holocaust. By listening attentively to testimonies and exploring intricate details of what he uncovers, Freund is able to demonstrate how archaeology is about people. His depictions of the Great Synagogue in Vilna and in Rhodes reveal the centerpiece of both revered communities. Michael Berenbaum served as Deputy Director of the President's Commission on the Holocaust (1979–1980), Project Director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) (1988–1993), and Director of the USHMM's Holocaust Research Institute (1993–1997). -- Michael Berenbaum, director, Sigi Ziering Institute, American Jewish University
Richard Freund’s contribution to the expanding field of Holocaust studies is immeasurable. The Archaeology of the Holocaust is a gripping account of major archaeological results bringing to light human stories that give the reader a sense of wonder mixed with sadness. I recommend it far and wide. -- James D. Tabor, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Freund’s book establishes a new paradigm in Shoah studies. Integrating Geoscience, Archaeology, and Holocaust history, he provides new insight from sites of horror in Rhodes, Poland, and Lithuania especially concerning the escape tunnel, and most importantly, his use of non-invasive technology preserves the sanctity of these sites. -- Alan Berger, Raddock Eminent Scholar, chair of holocaust studies and director of the Center for Values and Violence After Auschwitz, Florida Atlantic University
Most of us have heard of the Holocaust, but how much do we know about what actually took place? The Archaeology of the Holocaust demonstrates the value of using a multidisciplinary approach to reveal the complex and painful stories of the Holocaust. The union of archaeology with geophysics to retrace these terrible events is a natural one, as the clues are often hidden underground. -- Landon Woods, geoscientist, Advisian WorleyParsons
Freund is a “a steward of the evidence.” Interweaving testimony with the latest in archaeological science, his chronicle of his investigation of places of the Holocaust compellingly shows how good science can elucidate the lives crucial to preserving a past that society must not forget. -- Carl E. Savage, Associate Professor of Biblical Archaeology, Drew University
ISBN: 9781538102664
Dimensions: 237mm x 159mm x 23mm
Weight: 608g
296 pages