The Situation of the Jews in Soviet Union and its Satellite Countries after the Second World War

Abstract

The present study tries to show that, during the last years of the rule of Stalin, the Jews from Soviet Union and its satellite countries were even victims of the communist regime. Initially, during the German persecution and after the war a part of them found a refuge in the ranks of communist party which they saw as the single force capable to oppose to Hitler and later to racism and xenophobia. They were terrified by the horrors of Holocaust and looked for security by joining communism. But they were affected by Stalin’s hostile behavior towards the Jews in the last years of his life. It is important to state that the majority of Jews were not communist and that their property was reduced according to nationalization laws and Jewish aristocracy and intellectuals fell victims of communist regimes from Eastern and Central European countries.

Keywords: Jews, communism, Stalin, antisemitism, poverty