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Bronia Feldman never anticipated becoming the cornerstone of an underground medical network, particularly not within the harsh confines of the HASAG munitions factory's forced-labor system in occupied Poland. In September 1942, she was forcibly separated from her family, arriving there completely overwhelmed by sorrow. The only thing strong enough to keep her going is the hope of saving others. Left behind in the Skarzysko-Kamienna ghetto are her husband and two young daughters. Her 13-year-old daughter, Hajuta, has been dispatched to a nearby labor camp. Seizing a rare chance to escape, Bronia manages to reach her daughter. After a brief reunion, she is faced with an agonizing decision: to flee into the woods and join the partisans or to return to the very place she has just escaped from.

When they finally reunite months later, the moment is both miraculous and heart-wrenching. Hajuta is no longer the child Bronia remembers. Together, they endure even darker days as they are deported to Bergen-Belsen in January 1945. This true account of a Jewish mother and daughter stands as a testament to bravery, love, and the delicate thread of hope that kept them going. Amidst brutality and fear, they also experience fleeting moments of humanity. Through it all, both hold onto memories of the River Kamienna, where they once danced, played music, and dreamed of a brighter future. For Bronia and Hajuta, the river symbolizes more than just a memory; it represents a promise that they may one day return home. The introduction is penned by Menachem Rosensaft, an attorney, human rights advocate, professor of law, and a prominent figure in the Second Generation movement of children of Holocaust survivors.

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This study is both captivating and long overdue, focusing on a pivotal figure in modern European history. Josef Pilsudski emerged as the foremost advocate for armed Polish resistance against Tsarist Russian domination in the early twentieth century. During the Russo-Japanese War, he traveled to Japan to secure arms and funding for a Polish uprising. In World War I, he adeptly navigated a dangerous path. He formed the Polish Legion to ally with the Central Powers in their fight against the Russians. As the war neared its conclusion, he distanced himself from the Central Powers and achieved independence for Poland. After realizing his ambition of a free Poland, he engaged in a series of lesser-known conflicts with Ukraine and Lithuania, which are brought to light by Evan McGilvray. When it became evident that Bolshevik Russia was gearing up to invade Poland, Pilsudski initiated a pre-emptive strike in 1920. Although he initially found success, the Russians managed to gain the upper hand and were nearly at the gates of Warsaw before Pilsudski's brilliant counteroffensive resulted in 'the miracle of the Vistula,' reversing the situation.

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The twentieth century saw two catastrophic world wars that resulted in the displacement of millions. Among those affected were numerous neuroscientists and biological psychiatrists from Nazi Germany and neighboring regions who had to flee during the 1930s and 1940s. A significant number of them found new homes in North America, where they made a lasting impact on the evolution of biomedical sciences.

Focusing on the period from 1933 to 1989, Great Minds in Despair investigates the enduring consequences of this forced migration on the scientific and medical landscapes in North America, as well as on the researchers themselves. Frank Stahnisch chronicles the journeys and careers of around four hundred German-speaking doctors, scientists, and researchers across two generations. Adjusting to new research environments in Canada and the United States, they contributed to the advancement of neuroscience, psychiatry, clinical psychology, and cognitive sciences, all while reconstructing their lives amidst numerous challenges such as cultural adaptation and the complexities of relicensing. Stahnisch delves into how generational dynamics, gender, international collaborations, refugee organizations, and national funding bodies influenced their experiences and impacted postwar remigration.

Great Minds in Despair offers a significant reevaluation of the brain gain thesis in migration studies by highlighting the working conditions and social integration of a prominent group of academic refugees in North America.