Esther “Etty” Hillesum had no special relationship to the United States. The first thing one notices in Etty Hillesum's letters and diaries is the almost complete absence of references to America. Yet, this country looms large when one reflects upon her work. In these reflections, America functions at three levels. First, it is a remarkable absence in her literary production Second, it is an academic arena where discussion of Etty Hillesum's work has resulted in widely divergent opinions. And third, especially during the Cold War, the United States formed one side of the competing interpretations of the Holocaust, with Russia forming the other. Etty Hillesum's oeuvre can fulfil a role in bridging the differences between the two sides and providing a cohesive way to understand how and why they diverged. This essay opens with notes on Hillesum's writings on America, followed by an analysis of the reception of her work in the United States, and concludes with a call to utilize her work to bridge the gap between eastern and western interpretations of the Holocaust. As it turns out, this mediation role perfectly matches Etty Hillesum's aspirations.

America in Hillesum's Literary Production

Etty Hillesum made only a few, indirect, references to America. For example, she dismissed the public show of religious feelings that emerged out of the Oxford Group, an original American effort to secure peace through moral rearmament.