Leon Poliakov; Historian of Anti-Semitism

Leon Poliakov, 87, internationally respected historian of anti-Semitism. Born in Russia, the son of a foreign affairs writer, Poliakov was best known for his five-volume “History of Anti-Semitism,” published over many years. His other books included “Harvest of Hate: The Nazi Program for the Destruction of the Jews of Europe,” “The Aryan Myth” and “Jewish Bankers and the Holy See.” Born in St. Petersburg, Poliakov fled to Paris with his family after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and spent his life there. He studied law and journalism and was a part of the French Resistance during World War II. Poliakov later testified at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders and in 1987 at the Lyon, France, trial of former Gestapo official Klaus Barbie. On Monday in Paris.