The Holocaust in Latvia, 1941-1944 : The Missing Center

Rating:
Summary: A hard but unbiased look-- frank, thorough and surprising
Review: Ezergailis' account of holocaust in Latvia is based on his analysis of German, Latvian, and Soviet sources, the latter just made available when he wrote his book. He describes the position of the Jews in pre War Latvia, the attitude of the government toward the Jews, and the rise of antisemitism in certain segments of what was then "a Jewish friendly state." Ezegailis also details the fate of the Jews in sobering passages in which he names those responsible for their deaths. He analyzes how the Nazis used their propaganda to enlist Latvian participation and where this worked. He also discusses how the Soviets used a similar line to discredit Latvian nationalists and ironically, how many American Latvians bought those arguments. To paraphrase the author, the Jews and the Latvians were stuck between two devils. The Latvians chose one; the Jews chose another.

I have traveled through the country several times to meet Latvians and Latvian Jews who survived the War. In a few cases, I have spoken to actual witnesses both in Riga, the capital, and in the rural areas of the country. I think I am in a position to comment on Ezegailis' book. It is a thorough work of scholarship for anyone interested in that sad time and the complex world it left.