Journal, 1935-1944Hailed as one of the most important portrayals of the dark years of Nazism, this powerful chronicle by the Romanian Jewish writer Mihail Sebastian aroused a furious response in Eastern Europe when it was first published. A profound and powerful literary achievement, it offers a lucid and finely shaded analysis of erotic and social life, a Jew's diary, a reader's notebook, a music-lover's journal. Above all, it is an account of the "rhinocerization" of major Romanian intellectuals whom Sebastian counted among his friends, including Mircea Eliade and E.M. Cioran, writers and thinkers who were mesmerized by the Nazi-fascist delirium of Europe's "reactionary revolution." In poignant, unforgettable sequences, Sebastian follows the grinding progression of the "machinery" of brutalization and traces the historical context in which it developed. Despite the pressure of hatred and horror in the "huge anti-Semitic factory" that was Romania in the years of World War II, his writing maintains the grace of its perceptive and luminous intelligence. The legacy of a journalist, novelist, and playwright, Sebastian's Journal stands as one of the most important human and literary documents of the climate that preceded the Holocaust in Eastern Europe. Published in association with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum |
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Act Three afternoon anti-Semitic Antonescu Anyway army asked attack August Balcic Benu Bessarabia Bibescu bombing Brăila Branişte Braşov Breaza British Bucharest Calea Victoriei Camil Petrescu chapter concerto Corcova Cuvāntul December disgust dream Eugen Ionescu everything feel felt fighting finished Friday friend of Sebastian's Froda front happened Hitler Iron Guard January Jewish Jews journalist June kind last night leave Legionary Leni listened longer look lunch March Marietta Mihail Sebastian Mircea Mircea Eliade Monday morning Mozart Nae Ionescu never novel November October offensive Paris play Poldy possible Predeal radio Romanian Rosetti Russians Saturday scene Sebastian seems September Sică Sinaia skiing someone sonata Soviet speak Strada street Sunday talk tell terrible theatre things thought thousand Thursday tion told tomorrow Transnistria Tuesday wait Wednesday weeks whole write Yesterday evening's Zissu