Catastrophes : Views From Natural and Human Sciences

Scientific disciplines have their own view on catastrophes. Here, natural scientists, engineers, physicians as well as historians and social scientists define and discuss geo-hazards and associated technical disasters, natural disasters as a business case, medicine and its catastrophes. After war aspects of the Shoah are described with Gershom Sholem ́s Concept of Jewish Totality, and the situation of Displaced Persons in Germany as well as the Nakba for Palestinians related to the happiness of Jews celebrating their new State of Israel. The book also reminds of Hamburg’s Flood Disaster in 1962, the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and other historical catastrophes in Japan, the Lisbon earthquake in 1755 and the Age of Enlightenment, and the eruption of the Tambora in 1815 followed by the “year without summer”. In this book natural scientists, engineers, physicians as well as historians and social scientists define and describe geo-hazards and associated technical disasters, natural disasters as a business case, medicine and its catastrophes as well as after war aspects of the Shoah, and the ́catastrophé for Palestinians related to the happiness of Jews celebrating their new State of Israel. Scientific disciplines have their own view on catastrophes. In this book they discuss Gershom Scholeḿs Concept of Jewish Totality and describe the situation of Displaced Persons in Germany as well as the Nakba in 1948. They evaluate risk and opportunities from the insurance viewpoint and remind us of Hamburǵs Flood Disaster in 1962 as well as the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. The book also includes other historical catastrophes in Japan, the Lisbon earthquake in 1755 and the Age of Enlightenment, and the eruption of the Tambora in 1815 followed by 'The year without summer' Front Matter....Pages i-ix Twist to Evil—An Introduction to Different Views on Catastrophes....Pages 1-14 The Great East Japan Earthquake in the Context of Historical Catastrophes in Japan....Pages 15-49 No “German-Jewish Dialogue”? On Gershom Scholem’s Concept of Jewish Totality as the Cornerstone for Cultural Resilience....Pages 51-62 Jewish Life in Camps after 1945. Displaced Persons Camps in the US Zone of Germany....Pages 63-80 The Nakba—Flight and Expulsion of the Palestinians in 1948....Pages 81-104 From Dinosaurs and Humans—Geology and Catastrophes....Pages 105-122 Dangerous Water in the Land of the Economic Miracle—Hamburg’s Flood Disaster in February 1962....Pages 123-134 Medicine—and its Catastrophes....Pages 135-143 Natural Disasters as a Business Case—Risks and Opportunities from the Insurance Viewpoint....Pages 145-155 Annotation Scientific disciplines have their own view on catastrophes. Here, natural scientists, engineers, physicians as well as historians and social scientists define and discuss geo-hazards and associated technical disasters, natural disasters as a business case, medicine and its catastrophes. After war aspects of the Shoah are described with Gershom Sholems Concept of Jewish Totality, and the situation of Displaced Persons in Germany as well as the Nakba for Palestinians related to the happiness of Jews celebrating their new State of Israel. The book also reminds of Hamburg s Flood Disaster in 1962, the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and other historical catastrophes in Japan, the Lisbon earthquake in 1755 and the Age of Enlightenment, and the eruption of the Tambora in 1815 followed by the year without summer."