Rumänien, der Holocaust und die Logik der Gewalt

The persecution of Jews in Romania between 1940-44 was the result of collaboration between players in various social contexts, who followed their own logic of violence and generated their own violent practices. Distinguishes between dictatorial, fascist, military, police, and collective violence. Antonescu's dictatorial violence took the form of ethnic cleansing and "redemptive antisemitism". It was responsible for the deportation and despoilment of the Jews, the punishment of and reprisals against "Judeo-communists", and the starvation and mass murder of Jews in Transnistria. Antonescu did not order the systematic killing of the Jews, but he contributed to their demise by creating a climate of violence. Traces the radicalization of fascist violence, and antisemitism as an ideology of "purification". Regarding military violence, argues that it broke out when circumstances, which had kept it in check, changed with the Germans' Operation Barbarossa. Police violence was motivated by the aim to purge Romania of its enemies. Collective violence, launched by gangs in towns and villages from summer 1941 on, was less motivated by antisemitism than by insecurity triggered by the war. However, it soon became clear that attacking the Jews did not solve social problems, but rather made them worse. Includes bibliographical references (pages 191-202) and index. 208 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.