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Shatterzone of Empires: Coexistence and Violence in the German, Habsburg, Russian, and Ottoman Borderlands (Encounters: Explorations in Folklore and Ethnomusicology) Kindle Edition
Shatterzone of Empires is a comprehensive analysis of interethnic relations, coexistence, and violence in Europe’s eastern borderlands over the past two centuries.
In this vast territory, extending from the Baltic to the Black Sea, four major empires with ethnically and religiously diverse populations encountered each other along often changing and contested borders. Examining this geographically widespread, multicultural region at several levels—local, national, transnational, and empire—and through multiple approaches—social, cultural, political, and economic—this volume offers informed and dispassionate analyses of how the many populations of these borderlands managed to coexist in a previous era and how and why the areas eventually descended into violence. An understanding of this specific region will help readers grasp the preconditions of interethnic coexistence and the causes of ethnic violence and war in many of the world's other borderlands, both past and present.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherIndiana University Press
- Publication dateFebruary 15, 2013
- File size5.5 MB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Cutting-edge scholarship on important issues of borderlands and violence that many people―and the educated public as a whole―think about. . . . A compendium of first-rate research and scholarship . . . truly impressive."―Norman M. Naimark, author of Fires of Hatred: Ethnic Cleansing in 20th-Century Europe
"It is hard to imagine that anyone in the field of central/eastern Europe will not buy this book. It will also be interesting to anyone working on the First or Second World War, or the history of violence, genocide, Judeocide. It's a big book . . . that will have a big impact."―Alison Frank, author of Oil Empire: Visions of Prosperity in Austrian Galicia
"In general, the collection is of great interest not only for historians of specific regions and countries (first of the Russian, Habsburg and Othman Islamic Empires), but also for many other representatives of the [history] profession who are interested in the newest methodological approaches.March 2015"―Ab Imperio
"Omer Bartov's and Eric Weitz's edited volume is an excellent introduction to the themes and arguments, as well as some of the significant scholars, that have made borderland history a growing field and have opened rich new lines of inquiry in existing national, imperial and regional historiographies."―European History Quarterly
"[A] fine collection . . . Omer Bartov and Eric D. Weitz, both historians of Germany and genocidal violence, have put together a collection that demonstrates that although much of the bloodshed was initiated by state actors, much was generated by ordinary people settling ethnic, social, and ideological scores.April 2015"―Austrian History Yearbook
"Anyone who studies nationalism, genocide, mass violence, or war in these regions, from the Enlightenment through the mid-twentieth century, needs to read 'Shatterzone of Empires'. The book is also highly recommended to specialists in any field of central and eastern European, Jewish, and Ottoman history during those periods. Advanced undergraduates . . .would also benefit greatly from this collection. The book's breadth, its theoretical exploration of borderlands, and its overall quality mean that the editors and authors have produced something of lasting scholarly value."―Central European History
"[This] book's quality ultimately rests with the individual contributions . . . which represent cutting-edge scholarship and interpretations.May 2014"―German Studies Review
"Shatterzone is an important contribution to an exciting conversation about mass violence and terror in the twentieth century . . . This volume is a rich contribution to several literatures: the histories of the empires and nations of eastern and southeastern Europe and the Middle East; the scholarship on nationalism and identity politics; Holocaust and genocide studies; and studies of violence and atrocities."―Slavic Review
"A valuable resource for scholars of central and eastern Europe and of the historical depth and character of nationalism. . . . Highly recommended."―Choice
"All in all, the volume testifies to the important advances that have been made over the past decade in the inter-related fields of ethnic group identification, evolving intergroup relations, and the origins of ethnic violence. By including examples of peaceful inter-ethnic coexistence before and between the two world wars, the volume offers a more nuanced picture of the European borderlands than is all too often the case."―HSozuKult
"[A]ll the essays in this collection meet the highest academic standards and levels of scholarship. Each essay includes detailed notes, and each was written by leading scholars in the area being examined. . . . . In total, Shatterzone of Empires, provides readers, of every ilk, with a deep understanding of the region and the underlaying conflicts that help mold the various empires throughout the 19th and 20th centuries."―The Jewish Eye
Review
It is hard to imagine that anyone in the field of central/eastern Europe will not buy this book. It will also be interesting to anyone working on the First or Second World War, or the history of violence, genocide, Judeocide. It's a big book . . . that will have a big impact.
-- Alison FrankAbout the Author
Omer Bartov is the John P. Birkelund Distinguished Professor of European History at Brown University. His books include Erased: Vanishing Traces of Jewish Galicia in Present-Day Ukraine and Mirrors of Destruction: War, Genocide, and Modern Identity.
Eric D. Weitz is Dean of Humanities and the Arts and Professor of History at City College, City University of New York. His books include A Century of Genocide: Utopias of Race and Nation and Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy.
Product details
- ASIN : B00AZFPW6M
- Publisher : Indiana University Press (February 15, 2013)
- Publication date : February 15, 2013
- Language : English
- File size : 5.5 MB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Not Enabled
- Print length : 543 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #623,495 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #71 in History of Austria & Hungary
- #409 in Nationalism (Books)
- #471 in History of Russia eBooks
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

I was born in a kibbutz, studied in Israel and Britain, have done research in Germany, Austria, France, Poland, and Ukraine, and have been living and working in the United States since 1989. As a historian, my early research concerned the involvement of the German army in war crimes (The Eastern Front, 1941-1945; Hitler's Army), as well as total war and genocide (Murder in Our Midst, Mirrors of Destruction, Germany's War and the Holocaust), and antisemitic stereotypes (The "Jew" in Cinema). My recent publications concern Eastern Europe (Erased: Vanishing Traces of Jewish Galicia in Present-Day Ukraine, Anatomy of a Genocide: The Life and Death of a Town Called Buczacz, and Tales from the Borderlands: Making and Unmaking the Galician Past). I also published two Hebrew-language novels in the 1980s; my first English-language novel, The Butterfly and the Axe, is forthcoming in 2023.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonTop reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2022The editor groups the various papers into five parts. I found the first three the most helpful as they throw light on what central/middle Europe is and what it is. (There is no precise answer.) They also illustrate the sources of conflict that trouble this region up until this day . I interrupted reading of the book just before the present Ukraine/Russia war commenced and and picked up again after the first month. The 4th part, coincidentally, includes some historical insight the the Russia-Ukraine relationship.
An important distinction is that while North Americans may regard "assimilation" as a positive concept, in the border lands between the four empires (German, Russian, Hapsburg and Ottoman), assimilation was a threat. A further distinction, though not mentioned any any of the papers, is that although the Enlightenment may have penetrated eastward across the Rhine to some degree it ended at the Oder. Both of these make comprehending middle Europe so difficult for some of us. This book helps a great deal in mitigating that difficulty.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2022If you are into European history, then read this. It provides a better understanding of the regions that are within a nation of country.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2015I'd always been very confused about the history and role of the eastern European countries. Their history is very, very, complex. Their existences were, and still are very dynamic. This work helps the reader understand some of the causes of WW1, WWII, Soviet aggression in the 20th century, the role antisemitism has played in the region, and the actions committed by all the players in the region towards the Jews. The history of this region is even reflected in today's conflict in the Ukraine.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2016I AM VERY INTERESTED IN WW1 IT BY FAR MET ALL MY EXPECTATIONS AND MORE WOULD RECOMMEND TO ANY MILITARY HISTORY BUFF
- Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2016Fine product and quick delivery
- Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2022I wanted a broad survey of the complex history and politics of an area of which my knowledge is sadly deficient. This is a series of specialized essays/papers which, while apparently very well done in themselves, focus on far more datail than I need or want.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2022This collection of scholarly essays is of necessity, given the locale and topics, quite bleak. But it is an excellent introduction to the era and area. I recommend it.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2022While one can despair of the violence documented in this collection of essays, the information and analysis are invaluable toward understanding current events.
Top reviews from other countries
- DanReviewed in Canada on August 21, 2021
4.0 out of 5 stars For study purposes
Not a book to 'read', a book to study.