The Jewish Population of Brest-Litovsk during the Period of German Occupation, 1915–1919: Analysis and Perspectives

Abstract

Abstract The present work aims to fill a gap by analyzing the situation facing the Jewish population of Brest between 1915 and 1919. It is based on unpublished documents and an accurate account of events in Yiddish. It further endeavors to outline the perspectives offered by the examination of the documents over a longer period of time, taking into account the early years of the Polish period. We believe that such an approach will not only allow us to stop considering the period 1915–1919 as an “empty” period, but also contribute to a better understanding of the situation of the Jewish population in Brest-Litovsk after 1919. This epigraphic analysis of the documents presented by the inhabitants of Brest when returning to obtain Polish nationality is a novel study of materials that have not previously been investigated.