Surviving the camps : unity in adversity during the Holocaust

Based on accounts by survivors, disputes Bruno Bettelheim's psychoanalytic, individual-oriented theory about prisoners' submission to Nazi values. Attributes survival in concentration camps to social activity, which served individual needs without harming others. Argues that group bonding was not appreciated by Bettelheim due to his approach and his selectivity of survivor accounts. Draws on a more authoritative, representative sample. Chs. 1-2 present a history of the camps and discuss how they were administered; ch. 3 uses survivor testimony to explain camp life; chs. 4-5 discuss the views of Bettelheim and his opponents; chs. 6-8 explore the concentration camp experience through the eyes of prisoners; ch. 9 presents conclusions about surviving in the camps. Includes bibliographical references (pages 189-204) and index. xiii, 209 pages : map ; 24 cm.