Abstract:
In American studies of the Holocaust, we may learn about anti-Semitic propaganda issued by the Nazis, or perhaps read an illustration of what Jewish life was like during this violent and oppressive regime. Less well known, however, are the efforts of some to combat anti-Semitic propaganda with literature that promoted Jewish culture and history during this time. Das Lichterhaus im Walde is one such example; it is a children's book written by Leo Hirsch for an audience with a reading level appropriate for late elementary students. It tells a story of two young children on a visit with family friends, who show them some traditional Jewish practices and teach them the Hanukkah story. This book, published in 1936, likely served as a resource for some Jewish children to better understand their culture and history, and to be aware of why they could be proud of it. My translation, entitled The House of Light in the Woods, serves to provide more information about lesser-known efforts to refute Nazi propaganda, and it is intended for continued use in Holocaust study.
