Holocaust Postal History: Harrowing Journeys Revealed Through the Letters and Cards of the Victims

Gordon, who has studied postal history for the past 40 years, reveals his superb collection of Jewish philatelic items related to the Holocaust. His beautifully reproduced postcards and envelopes with cancelled stamps (called covers) create a unique portal into the personal lives of the Jews of Europe during WWII, whose lives were ended or catastrophically changed by the Nazis. This historically resonant collection also has an emotional potency; the actual correspondence is a time-stamped chronicle of the instant that a writer reached out for “help, encouragement, or simply news that a loved one was still alive.” The book is arranged into nine sections—the rise of Nazi anti-Semitism, anti-Jewish decrees, Nazi propaganda, ghettos, the Nazis’ “model Jewish ghetto” Theresienstadt, concentration camps, Jewish labor camps, unsung heroes, and the postwar era and formation of Israel—with historical background material and relevant letters, cards, and stamps displayed within the text. The book is thorough, with one section detailing the Nazis’ highly organized censorship activity. There were 15 censorship offices throughout the Reich, which utilized elaborate stamps, censor tape, and inserts to explain the censorship actions they took. According to Gordon, “every cover tells a story” and serves as a poignant reminder of the real people behind each piece of correspondence. This collection will appeal especially to stamp hobbyists, historians, geography enthusiasts, and readers interested in WWII. Color illus. (BookLife)