a history of anti-semitism dr. marsha rozenblit, harvey m. meyerhoff professor of jewish history...

A History of Anti-Semitism Dr. Marsha Rozenblit, Harvey M. Meyerhoff Professor of Jewish History University of Maryland

Beginnings of Anti-Semitism Some persecution of Jews in the Greco-Roman world before Christ, but it was rare Anti-Semitism as an ideology began with the rise of Christianity in the modern world Anti-Judaism is a religious view that Judaism is evil; anti-Semitism is a racial ideology Anti-Semitism is a protean movement that changes its form over history 2Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Beginnings of Anti-Semitism In the early church (3 rd /4 th century): Jews must exist, but must be subjugated, isolated, and held in contempt Must be restricted socially/economically Reasons for this: Jews seen as responsible for the death of Jesus - Deicides Jews persist in their rejection of Christ God has established a new covenant to replace the one of the Old Testament covenant, now seen as obsolete 3Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Beginnings of Anti-Semitism Judaism remained strong, so early church developed a rationale/reason for their continued existence: Jews must be present as witnesses to truth of Christianity Jews are bearers of the Old Testament If Jews are in a restricted states, that is further proof of the truth of Christianity (prophecies of older brother serving younger brother, as Esau served Jacob) St. Paul stated that in order for the second coming of Jesus to happen, the Jews must come to believe in him therefore, Jews must continue to exist 4Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Beginnings of Anti-Semitism Form the 4 th century forward, canon law restricted Jews and association with Jews Jews and non-Jews prevented from socializing Non-Jews could not have rabbis bless their fields (a practice that was still in effect) Jews could not proselytize to non-Jews Jews could not hold public office Could not have Christian slaves or employees Not allowed to build new synagogues Required to wear a mark or badge (instituted 13 th century) 5Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Middle Ages Fear that Jews will have bad influence on Christians Church opposed violence toward Jews, tried to protect them from this violence, while urging hatred of Jews Church interested in conversion of Jews Franciscan and Dominican monks converted Jews through use of force Church put pressure on European monarchs to impose formal restrictions upon Jews and to expel them 6Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Middle Ages Jews were restricted in what they could do to earn a living not allowed commercial occupations or government service In Western Europe, Jewish occupations were limited to peddling, money lending Created economic tensions between Jews and non-Jews Jews had residential restrictions Creation of ghettoes - Jews had to live in specified area, non-Jews not allowed to settle there (introduced in 16 th century in certain areas) Jews taxed more severely than non-Jews Jews eventually expelled from England, France, Spain 7Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Jews & Islam Rise of Islam created environment more hospitable to Jews, especially in the Ottoman Empire Muslims did not restrict Jewish occupations 8Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Middle Ages In the Middle Ages, popular anti-Semitism was unrestrained In the popular mind, the Jews were regarded as alien, other, agents of the devil and embodiments of the devil Beginning of incredible charges against Jews Jews had incredible power through evil, were out to destroy Christian society Jews not seen as individuals but rather as a type The Jew Not human, rather the devil trying to confuse Christians 9Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Middle Ages Medieval Passion Plays Jews costumed as the devil, portrayed as enemies of the human race Jews depicted physically with non-human characteristics horns and a tail Jews compared to goats (animal associated with the devil) Jews said to smell of sulfur baptism cleaned them of this odor Jews said to have peculiar diseases (male menstruation) Charged with committing heinous deeds 10Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Middle Ages During the plague years, Jews were charged with infecting the population by poisoning wells Panicked population rioted, massacred Jews Jews were host desecrators thought to sneak into churches and stab host Ritual murder charges Blood libel Jews were said to require the blood of Christian children to prepare Passover matzo Church beatified boys who were thought to have been killed in this manner 11Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Enlightenment Late 18 th century, vitriol against Jews cooled Jews were not seen as inherently bad just bad because they were persecuted Jews emancipated in France by the French Revolution (in two stages in 1790 and 1791) Secularization of society Church influence waned 12Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Modern Anti-Semitism (late 19 th Century) Re-emergence in European society of anti-Semitism Bias did not have a religious flavor New ideas were drawing on an older reservoir In Western & Central Europe views not yet institutionalized or adopted by government Eastern Europe many anti-Jewish measures adopted Relationship between Jews and traditional society had not been solved 13Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Modern Anti-Semitism Causes of anti-Semitism Hatred of modernity and all it represented rise of parliamentary democracy seen as messy and rife with compromise, multi-party system seen as factionalized as compared to monarchy Dissatisfaction with modern economic life capitalism, big industry were seen as corrupt and overpowering by lower-middle class small businessmen (shopkeepers, artisans) fear of losing social status Jews visible in economy in way they could resent owned most department store, active in clothing & shoe industries Jews were identified with liberalism, capitalism, urbanism 14Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Modern Anti-Semitism Jews identified with modern culture modern art, music, and literature were said to be decadent Jews were seen as a symbol of the modern world because they benefitted from it from the freedom, from capitalism, from chance of upward mobility in society Jews were associated with money After 1917 Jews associated with Communism 15Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Rise of Nationalism Rise of nationalism is implicated in anti-Semitism For example, Polish nationalism (Poland had lost its independence in the late 18 th century and been divided up) Movement for the restoration of Poland Desire to convince ordinary peasants to identify as Poles (originally an aristocratic designation) Jews used as a negative backdrop against which to define oneself ex. You are not Jews, you are Poles This tool is increasingly used by nationalistic groups 16Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Rise of Nationalism Yearning to return to mythical past, unsullied by modern influences, in which each society would return to its roots Were there actual antagonisms between Jews and nationalistic groups? Probably not, as the Jewish population very small 17Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Political Anti-Semitism Political anti-Semitism political parties whose main thrust was vilification of Jews; wanted to eliminate Jews from public life (1870s/1880s - appeared with economic downturn) These political parties existed in Germany and Austria, were successful in gaining votes Appealed to lower-middle class (shopkeepers, artisans, clerks) but also university students The German conservative party even adopted elements of anti-Semitism for its platform so as not to lose votes Anti-Semitism became part of public discourses Halls of Parliament filled with anti-Semitic speeches (in Austria more than Germany) Coarsened politics, although extreme anti-Semitic political parties not the most popular 18Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Political Anti-Semitism 1. German Christian Social Workers Party Politically, the word Christian became code for anti-Semitic Led by Adolph Stcker appealed to lower middle classes, Capitalized on fear of socialism and fear of losing out in the new big business Called for emancipation of German people from foreign domination (foreign was code word for Jewish) 19Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Political Anti-Semitism 2. Pan-German Party Led by George von Schnerer Extreme German nationalist party in Austria Intent to unite German speakers into one state Glorified all things German Anti-Socialist Anti-Catholic (Lutheranism considered traditionally more German) Anti-Semitic Anti -liberal 20Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Political Anti-Semitism (late 19 th century) 2. Pan-German Party (continued) Very volkisch in character (volk literally means people but came to mean the distinctly German race with a certain soul or culture - Jews were seen as opposite of the volk) Party very strident, rowdy, disruptive Party members often engaged in street brawls Party angry that Habsburg monarchy included Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians Hitler and many high-ranking Nazis came from the area in upper Austria where this party was prominent (party also popular in northern Bohemia) 21Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Political Anti-Semitism 3. Christian Social Party Most successful of all anti-Semitic parties Headquartered primarily in Vienna Led by Karl Lueger Appealed to lower middle class Anti-capitalist Anti-liberal Lueger became mayor of Vienna, won seats in Austrian Parliament Very influential to Hitler, who was in Vienna while Lueger was mayor 22Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Political Anti-Semitism These political parties used Jews as scapegoats Labeled Jews as the enemy Positioned Jews as being powerful, influential In reality Jews were a small group in western and central Europe (larger in eastern Europe) without political clout Positioned Jews as using capitalism to destroy society Religious reasons for inferiority of Jews not discussed as they were earlier in history 23Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Literary Anti-Semitism Production of written work that vilified Jews Journalists, writers, publicists did this on all levels of culture low, middle, and high-brow Two forms of literary anti-semitism : 1. Conspiracy theory of Jewish history 2. Racial anti-semitism 24Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Conspiracy Theory Anti-Semitism Notion that Jews were actively plotting to destroy civilization La France Juive (Jewish France) by Eduard Dumont in 1886 Pedantic, pseudo-scholarly attempt to show that Jews are conspiring to destroy French civilization Book said Jews controlled French culture, educational establishment, and press through the economy Rothschild family were targeted as economic overlords - James Rothschild said to be a czar dreaming of total power Book advocated for expulsion of Jews from France 25Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Conspiracy Theory Anti-Semitism The Protocols of the Elders of Zion best-known example of conspiracy literature Fabricated in 1890s, published in 1903- still in print Became a worldwide sensation Purports to be minutes of secret meetings of Jewish leaders States that Jewish leaders meet once a century in Prague to determine how to destroy civilization Reprinted by Henry Ford in 1920, serialized in his weekly newspaper Debunked as a hoax in 1921 by the London Times The Protocols of the Elders of Zion influenced Hitlers Mien Kampf Protocols still referred to today iPhone app 26Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Racial Anti-Semitism Uses the language of race/blood, physical attributes Beliefs developed in late 19 th century that certain races are superior, while others are inferior Belief that Semites were an evil race seeking to destroy the Aryan race, must be extirpated and rendered impotent Social Darwinism suffused with mystical ideas of German vlk as a race that was creative, rooted in the land, filled with life-force and light Jews seen as dark, dry, desiccated, like the desert from whence they came parasitic Belief that Jews aim was to destroy Aryan race through blood pollution 27Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

Racial Anti-Semitism Much of this thinking came from Houston Stewart Chamberlains The Foundations of the 19 th Century and from composer Richard Wagners pro-German, anti-semitic ethos Blaming inferior races for all evils offered a way out of the chaos of modernity 28Dr. Marsha Rozenblit

a history of anti-semitism dr. marsha rozenblit, harvey m. meyerhoff professor of jewish history...

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