Michael Wolffsohn and Thomas Brechenmacher (2008). Deutschland, judisch Heimatland. Die Geschichte der deutschen Juden vom Kaiserreich bis heute

Abstract

In many respects, Deutschland, jüdisch Heimatland [Germany, Jewish Homeland] is a peculiar book: although there are long stretches where the writing does not flow, it is still riveting to read; it is not a historical work and yet it documents historical facts in a unique way; it has autobiographical aspects but is not a personal life story. And although the book has an anecdotal quality at times, it is nevertheless—even if this may not be apparent at first glance—a remarkably thorough social scientific study. Following their book, Die Deutschen und ihre Vornamen, from the year 1999 (see Michael Wolffsohn and Thomas Brechenmacher, 2001, for summary), and now for the second time, Wolffsohn and Brechenmacher have employed a method which they call “historical public opinion research”, which attempts to utilize social scientific thinking and methodological approaches in historical research. Although the result is not perfect in every last respect, the authors’ approach is so original, their way of thinking in treating the subject matter is so fresh and unconventional that even readers who are well versed in history will learn many surprising new things—and that is about the best thing that can be said about any study in the field of history or the social sciences.