Freaks, Geeks, and Strongmen: Warsaw Jews and Popular Performance, 1912-1930

Eastern European Jewry is indelibly marked by the terms of a folkloric, shtetl-dwelling existence, according to conventional perception. However, the history of the urban milieu of early-20thcentury Poland debunks this notion, revealing that Jews created and participated in a variety of public entertainments. Tightrope walkers, fakirs, and professional wrestlers, among others, entertained Jewish audiences, but also allowed both the performers and their fans to express their ethnic and national affiliations.