Rina Lapidus, *Young Jewish Poets Who Fell as Soviet Soldiers in the Second World War*. New York: Routledge, 2014.

Send us Fan MailThis book honours the legacies of fifteen young Jewish poets whose lives were tragically cut short—whether through combat, wounds sustained in service, or execution—while fighting for the Red Army during World War II. Each of these individuals was remarkably young, gifted with poetic talent, and thoughtfully woven into the fabric of Soviet life, yet they maintained a meaningful connection to their Jewish heritage and customs. Their verses, crafted primarily in Russian, Yiddish, and Ukrainian, beautifully capture their unique perspectives, the rich literary and cultural landscape of the Soviet Union, and their deeply felt anxieties about the looming Nazi threat. This work compassionately examines their personal journeys, their lived experiences, their creative output, and the sorrowful circumstances of their premature passing. Much like the poignant testimonies of British poets from the First World War, the stories and artistic expressions of these young Jewish poets offer both compelling insight and profound emotional resonance.