Badenheim 1939

Apelfeld, Aharon

£9.99

On the eve of World War II, a group of middle-class Jews arrive in the resort town of Badenheim, Austria, ready to spend another idyllic summer vacation. But rumours of war rumble into the town, and the visitors struggle to convince themselves that everything is perfectly normal.

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Publish Date: 15/08/2024

Description

‘A masterpiece … the greatest novel of the Holocaust’ The Guardian

A haunting, dreamlike portrayal of the encroaching horror of the Holocaust onto a genteel MittelEuropean resort town

Badenheim, a resort town near the forests of Vienna, is preparing for the arts festival of the summer season. The hotel workers and local tradespeople rush to prepare the small town for the influx of vacationers. But just as the season is getting into full swing, a small note appears on a municipal notice board: the Sanitation Department is announcing an increase in its jurisdiction. No one knows what the Sanitation Department is, but no matter – the festival carries on.

Soon inspectors are spread all over town, bringing estrangement, suspicion and mistrust wherever they go. Meanwhile, the guests carry on pursuing their pleasures and the townspeople attend to their troubles. Then another announcement appears: all Jews must register with the Sanitation Department.

An allegory, satire and fable all in one, Badenheim 1939 is a story of denial and normalisation, masterfully creating an atmosphere of impending dread and horror. Gripping and unforgettable, this is one of most intriguing and eerie books ever written about the Holocaust.

Additional information

Weight 111 g
Dimensions 197 × 129 × 9 mm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

128

Language

English

Edition

Reprint

Dewey

892.436 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K