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thomas_edmund's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
This is a somewhat auspicious review for me, being my first since being banned from posting reviews on Amazon, for (as far as I can tell) reviewing books like this! So we will see how long my Goodreads reviews last..
Obviously this is book is going to be quite a full on read, Snyder has gone somewhat viral lately for
his advice in resisting tyranny, and I have a raft of his books on my to-read list. In my typically
completionist way I felt like it was too cheap to start with the shorter more accessible piece and I
had to ‘earn’ those by getting through this tome.
But enough about my neurosis…
I think to start, its worth covering a sort of content warning. Dealing with the Holocaust is of course going to be a traumatic read, and Snyder’s approach of being detail orientated and thorough can be incredibly difficult. Even though the style is effective and academic its still harrowing to scour this material, and while for me personally I felt it was necessary to dive into this book eyes open to honor those impacted – I would not necessary recommend this book at a purely introductory text or if you weren't feeling up for this material right now.
What Black Earth is essentially about is Snyder’s theories of what led to the Holocaust and enabled
WWII Germany to pursue a genocide beyond what has been known before or since (although places are getting darn close). Some might try to minimize these events by pointing to humankind’s bloody and violent history and even modern actions, which are still horrific to be sure, but The Holocaust still stands alone as an event beyond evil.
Obviously it would be a little foolish to attempt to summarize Snyder’s arguments from a such an
expert text in a book review, however some key standouts were arguments like:
Snyder’s analysis of Hiter’s worldview – many assume that the WWII German leader’s views were just extremely or fatalistically racist (which they were) but Snyder explains how his worldview (alongside having that narcissistic trait of actually being quite flexible as long as HE gets to decide the flexibility) is actually a double-bind of racism, he didn’t just believe in a master race to which all were inferior, he also believed that the way-of-the-world was violent competition between races, so to pursue anything but e.g. peace, co-operation etc was Wrong and ‘Jewish.’ I say its a double-bind because its a perspective that despises "inferior" races AND people who refuse to be racist.
I think the reason this stood out to me is that you could replace the word ‘Jew’ with ‘Woke’ and see
a lot of the same opinions being expressed today – however rather than physically violent competition its ‘free-market’ or economic wanton violence. It’s not that some people don’t believe that empathic and compassionate world-views work, its that they genuinely believe that wealth inequality is survival of the fittest and ergo not just justified, but morally correct. Modern Fascists are racist (and all the rest of the bigotries) to be sure but the nihilism appears to lie in the economic conflict not the physical.
But back to this book – another element that echoed into modern times was Sydner’s analysis of
statelessness. When much of Eastern Europe was invaded and counter invaded by the Soviets and
Germany this led to a considerable amount of chaos in regards to Statehood, where some countries
retained their own government and others were completed erased. Snyder shows, through painful
analysis, that the most dangerous situation to be in for Jews was stateless. Lacking a state reduced
the chance of escape and help, and also removed potential defenses. While Germany
controlled all conquered states with a relatively iron fist there were still elements that reduced
potential murders – for example in stateless and lawless areas Nazis were able to
implement their plans without much scrutiny or backlash – not to mention that local populations
were highly motivated to cover their own safety by co-operating with the regime. Even an occupied
or puppet governed state still has checks and balances in place that while not perfect, and not
necessarily heroic did lead to less death in these areas.
The reason I say it echoes now, is with climate crises increasing the likelihood of corresponding
refugee crisis, with the increase in war and other horrors in states that are ‘unrecognized’ some of
the parallels become clear. It might not be immediately obvious but having an intact state and citizenship thereof is extremely important.
To round off this book, there is also copious amount of material covering the above points and more, such as summaries of the situations that led to ‘helpers’ and other heroes who saved Jews and others. I will confess that at times the amount of information was overwhelming, Snyder carefully documents dozens, if not a hundred or more individual stories that capture his points about The Holocaust, while I won’t be remembering every single one of them their stories are beyond important.
Snyder’s lessons are very interesting from this book – in some respects they aren’t the sexy or
admirable ‘stay true’ or ‘be hopeful’ or whatever. His main message is to support and prop up States and institutions. As boring as it sounds it’s a key factor in preventing societies from being swayed by the nihilistic but well-sold views of an authoritarian ruler. He points out the truth that the sometimes bland elements of politics are where you want to be, extremists sell dramatic but attractive lies and its hard to sell the mundane as important but that’s the task ahead of us if we want to prevent the bloodshed of the early 1900s (or the next version)
Obviously this is book is going to be quite a full on read, Snyder has gone somewhat viral lately for
his advice in resisting tyranny, and I have a raft of his books on my to-read list. In my typically
completionist way I felt like it was too cheap to start with the shorter more accessible piece and I
had to ‘earn’ those by getting through this tome.
But enough about my neurosis…
I think to start, its worth covering a sort of content warning. Dealing with the Holocaust is of course going to be a traumatic read, and Snyder’s approach of being detail orientated and thorough can be incredibly difficult. Even though the style is effective and academic its still harrowing to scour this material, and while for me personally I felt it was necessary to dive into this book eyes open to honor those impacted – I would not necessary recommend this book at a purely introductory text or if you weren't feeling up for this material right now.
What Black Earth is essentially about is Snyder’s theories of what led to the Holocaust and enabled
WWII Germany to pursue a genocide beyond what has been known before or since (although places are getting darn close). Some might try to minimize these events by pointing to humankind’s bloody and violent history and even modern actions, which are still horrific to be sure, but The Holocaust still stands alone as an event beyond evil.
Obviously it would be a little foolish to attempt to summarize Snyder’s arguments from a such an
expert text in a book review, however some key standouts were arguments like:
Snyder’s analysis of Hiter’s worldview – many assume that the WWII German leader’s views were just extremely or fatalistically racist (which they were) but Snyder explains how his worldview (alongside having that narcissistic trait of actually being quite flexible as long as HE gets to decide the flexibility) is actually a double-bind of racism, he didn’t just believe in a master race to which all were inferior, he also believed that the way-of-the-world was violent competition between races, so to pursue anything but e.g. peace, co-operation etc was Wrong and ‘Jewish.’ I say its a double-bind because its a perspective that despises "inferior" races AND people who refuse to be racist.
I think the reason this stood out to me is that you could replace the word ‘Jew’ with ‘Woke’ and see
a lot of the same opinions being expressed today – however rather than physically violent competition its ‘free-market’ or economic wanton violence. It’s not that some people don’t believe that empathic and compassionate world-views work, its that they genuinely believe that wealth inequality is survival of the fittest and ergo not just justified, but morally correct. Modern Fascists are racist (and all the rest of the bigotries) to be sure but the nihilism appears to lie in the economic conflict not the physical.
But back to this book – another element that echoed into modern times was Sydner’s analysis of
statelessness. When much of Eastern Europe was invaded and counter invaded by the Soviets and
Germany this led to a considerable amount of chaos in regards to Statehood, where some countries
retained their own government and others were completed erased. Snyder shows, through painful
analysis, that the most dangerous situation to be in for Jews was stateless. Lacking a state reduced
the chance of escape and help, and also removed potential defenses. While Germany
controlled all conquered states with a relatively iron fist there were still elements that reduced
potential murders – for example in stateless and lawless areas Nazis were able to
implement their plans without much scrutiny or backlash – not to mention that local populations
were highly motivated to cover their own safety by co-operating with the regime. Even an occupied
or puppet governed state still has checks and balances in place that while not perfect, and not
necessarily heroic did lead to less death in these areas.
The reason I say it echoes now, is with climate crises increasing the likelihood of corresponding
refugee crisis, with the increase in war and other horrors in states that are ‘unrecognized’ some of
the parallels become clear. It might not be immediately obvious but having an intact state and citizenship thereof is extremely important.
To round off this book, there is also copious amount of material covering the above points and more, such as summaries of the situations that led to ‘helpers’ and other heroes who saved Jews and others. I will confess that at times the amount of information was overwhelming, Snyder carefully documents dozens, if not a hundred or more individual stories that capture his points about The Holocaust, while I won’t be remembering every single one of them their stories are beyond important.
Snyder’s lessons are very interesting from this book – in some respects they aren’t the sexy or
admirable ‘stay true’ or ‘be hopeful’ or whatever. His main message is to support and prop up States and institutions. As boring as it sounds it’s a key factor in preventing societies from being swayed by the nihilistic but well-sold views of an authoritarian ruler. He points out the truth that the sometimes bland elements of politics are where you want to be, extremists sell dramatic but attractive lies and its hard to sell the mundane as important but that’s the task ahead of us if we want to prevent the bloodshed of the early 1900s (or the next version)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
jburnford's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Snyder is one of the great historians. He goes well beyond explaining what happened. It pushes the reader to think about why history and our ability to imagine a future are essential to maintaining democracy and freedom.
h2oetry's review against another edition
5.0
An important exploration of how an overt atrocity can happen, and why. The methods of evil were made after making an entire people stateless, regardless of borders. This bureaucratic monstrosity means this very tactic can -- indeed has -- been used for similar means. Thus, we must be aware how these things begin, foment, and occur from the get-go.
It is a warning, and we must oppose all efforts vigorously. I started to read this book a few days before the 2020 US presidential election and finished it the day after Biden became the president-elect. We must realize change will have to come from more than just a ballot box. Sometimes the ballot box is discarded or circumvented.
It is a warning, and we must oppose all efforts vigorously. I started to read this book a few days before the 2020 US presidential election and finished it the day after Biden became the president-elect. We must realize change will have to come from more than just a ballot box. Sometimes the ballot box is discarded or circumvented.
clairealex's review
4.0
A blurb or review said that Black Earth is a sequel to Bloodlands, and I can see that. Whereas Bloodlands enlarged the Holocaust beyond the German killing sites that we have come to associate with it by documenting shooting deaths--Jewish and non-Jewish--in the Soviet Union by Russians and Germans, Black Earth turns the focus to Jews and their varied experiences. Snyder undoes some familiar tellings of the tale with plentiful detail.
The first to go is the motive of antisemitism. Snyder shows states that were more antisemitic did less killing, and vice versa. He shows conquered states collaborating not out of antisemitism, but out of political opportunity and for some, necessity. A few examples. The states that had been under the Soviets had citizens who had collaborated with the Soviets. They could, by turning blame to Jews, exonerate themselves of that collaboration. Another motive was nationalism: killing Jews was presented as a step toward their own nationalist goals. The result of this rethinking? "When the mass murder of Jews is limited to an exceptional place and treated as the result of impersonal procedures, then we need not confront the fact that people not very different from us murdered other people not very different from us at close quarters" (209).
Not only are the countries' motives questioned, so are Hitler's. Rather than antisemitism, Snyder directs us to Hitler's interest in feeding Germany by extending German territory to gain land and workers. He directs us to Hitler's philosophy that the norm is struggle, and therefore, the weak must be sacrificed--or allowed to die off rather than be helped. He illustrates a Hitler who is less interested in preserving a nation than preserving a people, an ethnicity. Aryans will be elevated as Slavs and Jews are made their slaves in the farmlands. Snyder points out shifts in handling of Jews according to whether Germany needs fewer people to feed or more workers to labor on fields and in factories.
When the "final solution" becomes killing, Snyder gives a nuanced analysis of different types of country and their relation to cooperating in the extermination. He illustrates the different actions of countries made stateless, made into puppet states, or those that retained sovereignty to make diplomatic agreements with other nations and to maintain the citizenship of their Jews.
As you might imagine, challenging received wisdom requires a lot of detail and the detail is abundant and depressing. But then Snyder shifts to the few who rescue Jews at the risk of their own lives and their motives. He finds economic self interest--a farmer needed workers. He finds religious impulses--churches on the margins used to resisting are more helpful than those in closer relation to the state. He finds personal motives in childless couples who want children so rescue Jewish orphans. And there is a whole chapter where he tells of rescues where there is no known motive, pointing out that the memoirs of the Jews who survived narrate their survival more than the motives of the rescuer.
The concluding chapter presents parallels to the present. The beginning leaps to details of hunger and of African and Chinese politics in a move that has not been prepared for. But then the chapter moves to ideas of government that the earlier chapters have prepared for. Snyder challenges the dominant version of the German state, that it is too strong, and the false lessons that have been learned from that stereotype. That view leads to the "solution" of keeping states weak, which affects both the Right and the Left. "On the political Right, the erosion of state power by international capitalism seems natural, on the political Left, the rudderless revolutions portray themselves as virtuous" (337). He reiterates that the worst killing happened in the countries made stateless.
The first to go is the motive of antisemitism. Snyder shows states that were more antisemitic did less killing, and vice versa. He shows conquered states collaborating not out of antisemitism, but out of political opportunity and for some, necessity. A few examples. The states that had been under the Soviets had citizens who had collaborated with the Soviets. They could, by turning blame to Jews, exonerate themselves of that collaboration. Another motive was nationalism: killing Jews was presented as a step toward their own nationalist goals. The result of this rethinking? "When the mass murder of Jews is limited to an exceptional place and treated as the result of impersonal procedures, then we need not confront the fact that people not very different from us murdered other people not very different from us at close quarters" (209).
Not only are the countries' motives questioned, so are Hitler's. Rather than antisemitism, Snyder directs us to Hitler's interest in feeding Germany by extending German territory to gain land and workers. He directs us to Hitler's philosophy that the norm is struggle, and therefore, the weak must be sacrificed--or allowed to die off rather than be helped. He illustrates a Hitler who is less interested in preserving a nation than preserving a people, an ethnicity. Aryans will be elevated as Slavs and Jews are made their slaves in the farmlands. Snyder points out shifts in handling of Jews according to whether Germany needs fewer people to feed or more workers to labor on fields and in factories.
When the "final solution" becomes killing, Snyder gives a nuanced analysis of different types of country and their relation to cooperating in the extermination. He illustrates the different actions of countries made stateless, made into puppet states, or those that retained sovereignty to make diplomatic agreements with other nations and to maintain the citizenship of their Jews.
As you might imagine, challenging received wisdom requires a lot of detail and the detail is abundant and depressing. But then Snyder shifts to the few who rescue Jews at the risk of their own lives and their motives. He finds economic self interest--a farmer needed workers. He finds religious impulses--churches on the margins used to resisting are more helpful than those in closer relation to the state. He finds personal motives in childless couples who want children so rescue Jewish orphans. And there is a whole chapter where he tells of rescues where there is no known motive, pointing out that the memoirs of the Jews who survived narrate their survival more than the motives of the rescuer.
The concluding chapter presents parallels to the present. The beginning leaps to details of hunger and of African and Chinese politics in a move that has not been prepared for. But then the chapter moves to ideas of government that the earlier chapters have prepared for. Snyder challenges the dominant version of the German state, that it is too strong, and the false lessons that have been learned from that stereotype. That view leads to the "solution" of keeping states weak, which affects both the Right and the Left. "On the political Right, the erosion of state power by international capitalism seems natural, on the political Left, the rudderless revolutions portray themselves as virtuous" (337). He reiterates that the worst killing happened in the countries made stateless.
amolotkov's review
5.0
"Understanding the Holocaust is our chance, perhaps our last one, to preserve humanity." In his systematic study, Timothy Snyder explores how the prior decimation of state rule (primarily by the Soviet occupation) in many of the areas later occupied by the Nazis lead to more Jewish deaths. He proceeds to examine our times and states, such as Russia, that seek to sow conflict - and ponders how we can keep the world safe from such threats.
paigemcloughlin's review
5.0
A disturbing look into the mindset of Hitler and the Nazis and shows how they managed what they did and really shows how democracy can turn into a genocidal autocracy. It leaves the reader with a deep sense of unease especially now in America in these times.
readingdistracted's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
3.5
Tl;dr - if you want to know what lessons we were supposed to learn from the Holocaust, jump to the Conclusion