Relating to the ‘Other’

This study examines the representation of Jews and Christians in responses to the Holocaust. The ‘texts’ analysed are historiographical, religious, literary, and visual (films, museums and memorials). The nine chapters encompass a discussion of responses to the Holocaust both at the time of the unfolding events and in its aftermath. Moving through a variety of media, the analysis reveals the significance of Jewish perceptions of non-Jews and Christian perceptions of Jews in interpreting responses to the Holocaust. Further, the analysis focuses on the impact of popular conceptions of Jews and Christians – as expressed in literature, film, museums and ceremonies of remembrance – on discussion of the Holocaust in religious contexts, exploring the ways in which these cultural expressions reflect and intend to shape Jewish and Christian identities. Engaging with multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives on the study of the Holocaust, this book contributes to the study of Christian-Jewish relations in Western societies, focusing in particular on the ways in which interpretations of the respective ‘other’ inform contemporary Jewish-Christian encounters and conflicts.