xix
For all that, given the magnitude of the Holocaust, it would
have been an impossible task for us to have included here
every possible leader, idea, movement, event, upstander, res-
cuer, witness, or perpetrator—though we have attempted to
provide as complete a collection, of sufficient breadth, to sat-
isfy the needs of most users as a first step to further research.
In this endeavor, we hope we have been successful.
A few general notes are in order here by way of explana-
tion and clarification. Certain terms have been rendered in
such a way as to conform to the most appropriate contempo-
rary usage. “Gypsy,” for instance, has been replaced through-
out by the less disparaging term “Roma,” and, in line with an
increasing number of scholars, “anti-Semitism” has given
way to the unhyphenated “antisemitism.” A great deal of
effort has gone into the task of standardizing spellings,
though this has often proven difficult where issues of trans-
literation have been present. Moreover, it should be borne in
mind that the reference entries have been written by a wide
variety of authors, and that, as a result, styles of expression
will differ. Where possible, we have attempted to rectify
major deviations in style through our editors’ prerogative.
A list of further readings accompanies every reference
entry. For the most part, we have elected to utilize the first
edition of a work, on the understanding that users can
employ this as their “base camp” for any subsequent edi-
tions they might encounter. We have also adopted this
approach in the bibliography. In addition, given the antici-
pated readership that will comprise the majority of those
using the encyclopedia, we have usually chosen to restrict
Alongside World War I, World War II, and the convulsions of
the Cold War, the Holocaust, it could be said, has defined the
character of the past one hundred years. It is one of the most
written-about and discussed topics in all of modern history.
In view of this, a question arises: Why have we produced
yet another encyclopedia of the Holocaust when so many
already exist, in addition to vast numbers of other studies,
reflections, and memoirs from survivors, perpetrators, and
witnesses? While there are by now dozens of encyclopedias
on the Holocaust, hundreds of reference works, and many
thousands of monographs, new material on this mammoth
event is surfacing every day. It is our contention that,
despite this immense output, there is still room for one
more work that can provide a window to understanding;
indeed, given the complexity of the Holocaust and the enor-
mous amount of history that took place then, anything that
can help to generate such understanding is, in our view, to
be welcomed.
The current work, consisting of two volumes of reference
entries, one volume of personal accounts, and one volume of
primary source documents, provides what we consider to be
an appealing mix for educators and students looking for
fresh content on the Holocaust. We have developed a very
wide range of reference entries (which in many cases go well
beyond the “standard” topics covered in encyclopedias of
this kind), while a majority of the personal testimonies have
rarely been seen before. The comprehensive documents vol-
ume, furthermore, provides a wealth of original sources
rarely seen outside of archival collections.
Preface
