Leni Yahil is Professor Emeritus at Haifa University and a member of the Editorial Board of Yad Vashem Studies and its affiliated publications.
Covers the anti-semitic activities of the Nazis all over the globe, refuting common myths about the Holocaust, including the perception that Jews went peacefully to their deaths.
The Fate of European Jewry, 1932-1945
When first published in Israel in 1987, this work was celebrated as the most authoritative history of Hitler's war on the Jews. After two decades of research, Leni Yahil's book won the prestigious Shazar Prize. Now available in English, it provides a sweeping examination of the Final Solution, detailing Nazi policies and the responses of Jews and foreign governments to the unfolding horror. Yahil presents a comprehensive chronological narrative that spans from Norway to Greece, Amsterdam to Tehran, and even Shanghai. Her balanced and compelling writing systematically explores the evolution of the Holocaust in German-occupied Europe, including its politics, planning, goals, and key figures. Utilizing her command of multiple languages, Yahil incorporates a wealth of documentary and statistical evidence, enriched by personal accounts, such as a survivor's experience during a death march and the tragic story of the Struma, which sank with over 700 Jewish refugees. She dispels myths surrounding the Holocaust, demonstrating that Hitler consistently pursued a final reckoning with world Jewry. The narrative also highlights acts of resistance in ghettos and camps, as well as the efforts of Jews in America and Palestine to aid victims, often against the backdrop of Allied indifference. This monumental work is essential for understanding the Holocaust, offering clarity, scope, and insight into both the persecution and the Jewish response