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"German
Historians Face Goldhagen"
Barkai
presents an in-depth survey of the controversy aroused by Daniel
Goldhagen's book in Germany. Many distinguished and well-known
historians - including some belonging to the "grandchildren's
generation" - joined the fray, side by side with journalists
and publicists. Participants in the debate were divided into those
who rejected the book and its author outright, and those who
endeavored to grapple with Goldhagen's claims exhaustively and
objectively. The discussion centered primarily around the question
of antisemitism and its role in the Holocaust, which was examined
from anew. Even a veteran historian of the caliber of Hans Mommsen
expressed ideas that he had never voiced during the 1970s or 1980s.
The author also surveys the state of mind of the German public
during Goldhagen's visit to Germany in September 1996, and his
public appearances and their repercussions. |
