49 pages • 1 hour read
Jan Tomasz GrossNeighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2000A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Neighbors by Jan Tomasz Gross recounts the tragic events of July 10, 1941, in the Polish village of Jedwabne, where non-Jewish residents brutally attacked their Jewish neighbors, leading to the death of around 1,600 Jews who were corralled into a barn and burned. The massacre was organized by local officials with Nazi consent but without direct German involvement. After the war, the incident was obscured but later brought to light through historical testimonies and investigations. The book addresses deeply sensitive topics, including antisemitism and the Holocaust.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Neighbors by Jan Tomasz Gross elicits strong reactions. Its meticulous research into the Jedwabne massacre in WWII Poland earns critical acclaim for shedding light on local complicity in the Holocaust. However, some critique its reliance on limited sources and question its broader implications, arguing it oversimplifies complex historical contexts. An essential yet contentious read.
Who Should Read Neighbors?
A reader who would enjoy Neighbors by Jan Tomasz Gross is likely interested in Holocaust studies, Eastern European history, and the sociology of ethnoreligious violence. Fans of Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem and Timothy Snyder’s Bloodlands may find this book compelling for its meticulous investigation and moral inquiry.