Forgotten Holocaust, Third Edition

When you think of the Holocaust you always think of the Jews in the Third Reich - what is usually forgotten is the holocaust that was put into place in Poland. The Nazis were determined to destroy that country and all that it stood for - which makes Lukas' book definitely worth reading. It tells of the terrible events which took place in Poland. Before the war, Poland had possessed substantial minorities of Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Jews, Germans and Lithuanians. By the end of the war, many of these minorities had been almost wiped out. Even the Polish people had come under threat - from the very beginning of the invasion, Hitler's troops had attacked civilians, bombing and strafing. In August 22 1939, Hitler had given the order to kill 'without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of Polish descent or language. Only in this way can we obtain the living space we need.' In those early days, thousands of people were killed. 714 executions took the lives of 16,376 people. Lukas charts the saga of this holocaust, alongside a retelling of the civilian resistance and collaboration, the military underground that was formed and the links between Poles and Jews, culminating in the great Warsaw uprising. This is a story which deserves greater publicity, a tragedy of which few are aware. It makes sober, but irresistible reading ideal for anyone interested in the Second World War, its social and military history. 4 stars. monstersandcritics.com July 2013