2008 Woodie Awards
RSSSpeaker: Jewish identity a part of Polish history
By Adrienne Gerard
Issue date: 11/12/07 Section: News
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Bacon discussed the change in how Polish-Jewish history is studied and contextualized, its causes, and the emergence of a new Polish-Jewish narrative at a lecture Thursday in Maginnes Hall.
Bacon said he gives the most credit to the writings of Polish-Jewish history to those individuals that were driven from Poland and Israel and came to the U.S.
"Our younger generation owes them a great debt," Bacon said. "They are our teachers, and they gave us our grounding to keep alive the torch of Polish history in other countries like the U.S."
Bacon discussed the new era of historians who are continuing to research topics never studied in great detail.
"These historians are willing to deal with sensitive topics that have been too hot of a potato to touch," Bacon said. "For example, Poles who extorted money to Jews during the Holocaust. There is a much more open willingness to contextualize."
Bacon said his first goal is to make the Jewish community a part of Polish history.
"Some of the younger scholars have learned Hebrew and Yiddish to help with their studies," Bacon said. "There was a younger woman who came from Poland to study with me at Yale University. This is something I wouldn't have dreamed of while teaching in Israel 25 years ago."
The second goal is to make Polish-Jewish history a part of general history.
"All history has been mostly based on solely Polish sources," Bacon said. "There is now, however, more coordination and inevitably, there will be contributors from the U.S., Canada and South America."
Bacon is currently involved in the publication of a three-volume encyclopedia of Polish-Jewish history in Europe.
The encyclopedia will document gender issues, women, thematic essays and everyday life.
Bacon is involved in opening a Jewish historical museum in Warsaw. Opening is scheduled for 2010.
"We want the museum to be the first stop for all travelers to see what Poland was really like during the 18th century," Bacon said. "The museum is a way of trying to open up what is a very sensitive issue of Polish-Jewish relations."
Joanna Michlic, the Helene and Allen Apter Chair of Holocaust Studies and Ethical Values in Lehigh's history department, said she asked Bacon to speak at Lehigh because of his high knowledge of Polish-Jewish history.
"Bacon covers a wide range of aspects that are directed towards many different targets," Michlic said, "including not only those with a Polish-Jewish history, but those with a passion for all history."
Dena Smith, '10, said Bacon's lecture had a significant impact on her future plans to visit Poland.
"I am going on a birthright trip to Israel and Poland this summer," Smith said. "I think hearing Bacon's lecture will impact my point of view on the things I learn about or see on my trip. I definitely want to visit the museum in Warsaw."
