J. Weitzman And Dalia Ofer: The Role Of Gender In The Holocaust

The Role of Gender in the Holocaust by Lenore J. Weitzman and Dalia Ofer The Role of Gender in the Holocaust by Lenore J. Weitzman and Dalia Ofer provides an in-depth look of the role women before, during, and after the Holocaust and how gender differences affected their treatment, emotions, survival, and ability to provide for their families and themselves. The book is divided into four parts and focuses on the women of Germany and Poland from the 1930s to the late 1940s. Lenore J. Weitzman supports the idea that women and men had more similarities than differences during this era; in contrast, Ofer argues that women acted very different than men under the circumstances. The introduction to the novel is divided into two parts and provides readers with a basic understanding of gender roles; furthermore, a brief introduction allows

This section is composed of first-hand accounts of wives, mothers, and daughters ability to survive and adapt. The narratives allow readers to see how women adapted more easily and acted fearlessly due to their sense of “obligation” as a mother. Ofer argues that as men began to seek shelter under pressure, women risked their lives through smuggling and trade to provide for their families. Part three continues to discuss women’s efforts in the resistance. This section focuses on the single, young women who participated in revolts in the ghettos. This section strengthens the book because it incorporates single and young women and broadens the topics discussed in the book. Part two and three allow readers to understand the different roles women played and their bravery. The book allows readers to appreciate the role of women during the Holocuast because often times the role of women is overlooked; however, readers learn about the ways the women survived, coped, and helped