The Last Ghetto

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Terezín, known as Theresienstadt in German, served as a Nazi-operated transit ghetto from November 1941 to May 1945 for Central and Western European Jews before their deportation to death camps. It was the last ghetto to be liberated, just after World War II ended. This work provides the first comprehensive analytical history of a prison society during the Holocaust. Anna Hájková argues that the ghetto's prison society should not be viewed as exceptional but rather as a reflection of human societal constructs that arise under normal circumstances. She challenges the notion of Holocaust exceptionalism, advocating for the use of standard analytical tools to understand this historical event. Within Terezín, social hierarchies emerged, where minor differences among prisoners—such as age, ethnicity, or previous occupation—could dictate survival. Over its three and a half years, the camp's inhabitants developed their own culture, formed bonds, fell in love, and created new families. Drawing on extensive archival research in nine languages and victim testimonies, this work presents a transnational, cultural, social, gender, and organizational history of Terezín, exploring how human society functions under extreme conditions while addressing themes of responsibility, agency, and belonging.