Cities of Refuge : German Jews in London and New York, 1935-1945

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Full Title:: Cities of Refuge : German Jews in London and New York, 1935-1945 / Lori Gemeiner Bihler

Subjects:: Jewish refugees--New York (State)--History--20th century
Jewish refugees--England--History--20th century
Jews, German--New York (State)--New York--Social life and customs
Jews, German--England--London--Social life and customs
Jews, German--New York (State)--New York--History--20th century
Jews, German--England--London--History--20th century
Jews--England--London--History--20th century
New York (N.Y.)--Ethnic relations
London (England)--Ethnic relations

Table of Contents:: Arrival and settlement -- Family, friendship, and food -- Dress and names -- Language and mannerisms -- Organizational life -- Identities.
Bibliography:: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary:: In the years following Hitler's rise to power, German Jews faced increasingly restrictive antisemitic laws, and many responded by fleeing to more tolerant countries. Cities of Refuge compares the experiences of Jewish refugees who immigrated to London and New York City by analyzing letters, diaries, newspapers, organizational documents, and oral histories. Lori Gemeiner Bihler examines institutions, neighborhoods, employment, language use, name changes, dress, family dynamics, and domestic life in these two cities to determine why immigrants in London adopted local customs more quickly than those in New York City, yet identified less as British than their counterparts in the United States did as American. By highlighting a disparity between integration and identity formation, Bihler challenges traditional theories of assimilation and provides a new framework for the study of refugees and migration.
Language:: English
Physical Type/Description:: 1 online resource