Young and Restless: Political Activism and Resistance among Jewish Youth in Romania
Young and Restless: Political Activism and Resistance among Jewish Youth in Romania
Author(s): Anca FilipoviciSubject(s): Jewish studies, Political history, Politics and society, Interwar Period (1920 - 1939), WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), History of Antisemitism
Published by: Wiener Wiesenthal Institut für Holocaust-Studien
Keywords: Jewish youth; political activism; Zionism; Bundism; Communism; oral testimonies; Holocaust in Romania; underground movements;
Summary/Abstract: Based on testimonies from the Fortunoff Video Archive and other personal accounts, this article delves into the political options and the mechanisms of political mobilisation among Jewish youngsters in 1930s and 1940s Romania. Primarily involved in two distinct forms of activity – within the Zionist youth movements and the communist movement – their early political engagement represented a defiance of antisemitism and adult authority. Simultaneously, it served as an alternative island of safety and stability. By exploring various personal experiences in specific political contexts, I argue that the political involvement of youngsters should be analysed as a manifestation of juvenile energy and a unique form of agency for victims of antisemitic persecution.
Journal: S:I.M.O.N. Shoah: Intervention. Methods. Documentation.
- Issue Year: 11/2024
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 46-66
- Page Count: 21
- Language: English
