Title: Last Waltz on the Danube
Author: Ali Botein-Furrevig
Year: 2012
Media Type: Book
Lending Status: Borrow
How Acquired: ZVA purchase for SGS
Review /Description: The author of this book is a Jewish Holocaust scholar who became aware of the post WW II plight of the Donauschwaben through one of her mentors who came from Palanka in Batschka. She correctly observes that the Holocaust of the Jews during WW II was only one of many genocides in history and they all deserve equal denunciation. This is a fairly short read and serves as a good sampler for anyone new to this topic. The first section is a brief summary of the history of the region, the immigration of the Germans, and the events of WW II and the few years immediately following. There are a few specific details about Batschka and Palanka, but it is mostly pretty general. The second section is the personal story of her mentor’s aunt, whom she met at his funeral. This lady had endured the all the post-war suffering of the Donauschwaben of Yugoslavia. Again, her story serves as a brief summary of many similar stories in much longer formats. A final section deals more generally with crimes against humanity, listing many other occurrences and providing much food for thought.