Cursed: A Social Portrait of the Kielce Pogrom

In her book "Cursed," Joanna Tokarska-Bakir explores the July 4, 1946, Kielce pogrom, a significant event in the history of the Jewish diaspora. Through meticulous research and analysis of archival evidence, she reconstructs the events of the pogrom and examines the dominant hypotheses about it. The book offers a nuanced analysis that cuts across social and ideological divisions, revealing new discoveries about the Kielce pogrom and antisemitism, hostility toward minorities, and collective violence.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 592 pages
Publication date: 15 November 2023
Publisher: Cornell University Press

In her groundbreaking work, Cursed, Joanna Tokarska-Bakir delves into the harrowing July 4, 1946, Kielce pogrom, a pivotal moment in the historiography of the Jewish diaspora. This tragic event forced thousands of Polish Jews who miraculously survived the Holocaust to leave postwar Poland, leaving a lasting stain on the Polish historical narrative. Tokarska-Bakir skillfully weaves together the voices of survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators, alongside a vast array of archival sources, to shed light on the complex web of individuals involved in this heinous act. Through meticulous research, she unveils the wartime and postwar biographies of local factory workers, city and church officials, police officers, and members of the security service, some of whom played a role in the Holocaust and later participated in the Kielce pogrom. Tokarska-Bakir's portrayal is a poignant social analysis that delves into the human behavior influenced by forces and emotions far greater than themselves. She reconstructs the postwar communist system, which, despite its promises to combat deep-rooted antisemitism, not only failed to prevent its spread but turned a blind eye to it and even used it to justify its existence.

Cursed is a microhistory that meticulously recreates the events of the Kielce pogrom, providing a detailed account of the dominant hypotheses about the pogrom through the lens of previously classified archival evidence. This work offers readers a nuanced and comprehensive analysis that transcends social and ideological boundaries. The resulting narrative is filled with groundbreaking discoveries not only about the Kielce pogrom but also about the nature of antisemitism, hostility towards minorities, and collective violence. Published in association with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Cursed is a vital contribution to our understanding of this dark chapter in history.

Weight: 1361g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 41 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501771484