[Powerful illustrations] World Hashomer Hatzair. Drawings by Ruth and Nathan Klein

YOUTH AMIDST THE RUINS, A CHRONICLE OF JEWISH YOUTH IN THE WAR [WITH EXPLANATORY PAMPHLET LAID IN]

New York, Published for Hashomer Hatzair Organization by Scopus Pub. Co, 1941. Item #42909

1st edition. Original publisher’s cloth in original color illustrated dust jacket, 12mo, 117 pages. 19 cm. With two rubberstamps of the Hashomer Hatzair organization on the rear of the dustjacket. Map on lining-papers. A collection of excerpts from the diaries of Jewish youth in Poland, selected from Al mashuot Polin, printed by the Kibbutz Artzi Press and illustrated with 6 moving vignettes by Ruth and Nathan Klein (in addition to the dustjacket and endpaper maps, also illustraited by them).
The powerful scenes, often depcting Hashomer HaTszair youth in their uniforms and kerchiefs, show the brutality of Nazi repression, the mourning and loss of family, secret hiding and planning by the youth, and the ultimate triumphal journey from the buring synagogues and cities of Europe to Palestine.
Laid in is a four-page Hashomer Hatzair pamphlet titled "What is our answer?” which explains the purpose of the book:

“Today, when Palestine and the Jewish homeland are threatened, when the centers of Jewish life in Europe are being destroyed rapidly, the persistence of our Chalutz youth for Zionism stands clearly as a challenge. You have read the story of Zionist youth struggling for the continuation of Jewish life in devastated Europe. They are not only our comrades of Hashomer Hatzair but also the bearers of the struggle that has to be borne by Jewry all over the world.
Their belief in the future of the Jewish people, of Zionism and of Palestine, enables them to battle against all odds. In the midst of destruction and chaos, they are concentrating all their forces on the preservation of our ideals and goals.
These letters and diaries were not intended for publication. But we realized that their message has to be heard by American Jewry and Jewish youth to give us a better understanding of our mutual tasks.
THEIR STRUGGLE IS OUR STRUGGLE. They persist today underground in the face of the strongest Nazi and Soviet opposition. THEY MUST CONTINUE!...
we turn to you, Reader, for help! Aid them to continue their dangerous task.
All contributions and the proceeds from the sale of YOUTH AMIDST THE RUINS are dedicated to the activities of these chalutzim today. We, American Jews, must, keep these vital sparks of Jewish life alive” (pp. 1-2).

“After the start of the war…a number of Zionist youth leaders who had managed to flee to the east made the decision to return to occupied Poland. This was the case among the youth movement leadership of Warsaw. Many of them had fled to Vilna in order to escape the Nazi invasion in September 1939. Youth leaders of movements like Hashomer Hatzair, Dror, Betar, and He-Halutz…elected to return voluntarily after several months spent in Russia and Lithuania.
The youth movement leaders who returned to Warsaw were motivated by a sense of responsibility as local leaders, not only to their young chanichim (movement members), but to the Jewish community as a whole” (USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia).
The US Holocaust Museum keeps their copy in their rare book room.
SUBJECT(S): World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews. Guerre mondiale, 1939-1945 -- Juifs. Shomer ha-tsa?ir (Organization). OCLC: 697529. Price-clipped dustjacket, two closed tears on rear of jacket between spine panel and back panel, otherwise very good condition. Very attractive copy, moving. (Holo2-162-28-+).

Price: $500.00