A Small Town in Ukraine: The place we came from, the place we went back to

Bernard Wasserstein's book "A Small Town in Ukraine" explores the hidden past of Krakowiec, a town forty miles west of Lviv, and its dramatic and traumatic history. He traces the arc of history across centuries of religious and political conflict, including the Age of Enlightenment, the Habsburg emperors, and the Second World War. The book also features Wasserstein's own family, who become a prism through which we can feel the shocking immediacy of history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2024
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

A remarkable and profoundly moving work of history and memoir, Philippe Sands delves into the hidden past of Krakowiec, a town forty miles west of Lviv, where his family originated. In this captivating book, he recounts the dramatic and traumatic history of the town. I am deeply interested in observing and understanding how some of the great forces that shaped our times impacted ordinary people. The result is an exceptional, often moving book that showcases Wasserstein's exceptional talent.

Wasserstein traces the arc of history across centuries of religious and political conflict, as armies of Cossacks, Turks, Swedes, and Muscovites ravaged the region. In the Age of Enlightenment, the Polish magnate Ignacy Cetner built his palace at Krakowiec, creating an arcadia of refinement and serenity with his vivacious daughter, Princess Anna. Under the Habsburg emperors after 1772, Krakowiec developed into a typical shtetl, with a bustling population of Poles, Ukrainians, and Jews. However, disaster struck in 1914, as seven years of terror and carnage left a legacy of ferocious national antagonisms. During the Second World War, Wasserstein vividly describes the horrifying circumstances in which the Jews were murdered. After the war, the Poles were expelled, and the town dwindled into a border outpost.

Today, the storm of history once again rains down on Krakowiec as refugees flee for their lives from Ukraine to Poland. At the beginning and end of the book, Wasserstein's own family, particularly his grandfather Berl, becomes a prism through which we can feel the shocking immediacy of history. A Small Town in Ukraine is a masterpiece of recovery and insight, showcasing Wasserstein's exceptional talent and dedication to historical exploration.

Weight: 258g
Dimension: 197 x 128 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781802061406