Amazon Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars
“Having become acquainted with the author several years ago, I cannot pretend to offer an unbiased review of his book. I can only say that I found reading it to be rewarding.
As the title indicates, the author focuses on "Jewish secular endeavors" in the capital of Slovakia, now generally known as Bratislava, but also known as Pressburg or as Pozsony to its German and Hungarian populations. Almost half the book is devoted to accomplishments by members of the Jewish community in the field of architecture, with the remainder devoted to accomplishments in a wide range of other fields, including (for example) painting, sculpture, science, medicine, philanthropy and commerce.
The author provides photographs of the people whose endeavors are featured, along with photographs or drawings to illustrate their accomplishments. His brief description of each person's life often concludes with "perished in the holocaust," thus providing a somber reminder, if one is needed, of the fact that one's contribution to society meant nothing to those who were intent on eradicating the Jews.
I suspect that most people who are interested in the history of Bratislava -- or in the history of Slovakia generally -- will find this book to be a unique and valuable source of information.”
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Review which appeared in the May 5, 2011 issue of the weekly
“Semanario Hebreo” (Montevideo, Uruguay)
Book Review Spanish
