A Brief History of ANTI-SEMITISM

Definition of Anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism is prejudice and discrimination against Jews as individuals and as a group Historically, what began as a conflict over religious beliefs evolved into a systematic policy of political, economic, social isolationism, and attempted annihilation. It DID NOT begin in the Nazi era. Nor has the discrimination ended with the close of WWII. Its continuance over thousands of years is an example of the power of judging, and scapegoating people that are “different” to the majority

Biblical Times The Biblical character, Abraham, is the father of three major world religions: 1) Judaism 2) Christianity 3) Islam. Abraham led his family to Canaan some time between 2,200 and 1,500 years before the common era. Abraham, his family, and his descendants, became the people of Israel.

During the centuries before the birth of Jesus, the Hebrews or Israelites (the early Jewish people) experienced intermittent persecution because they refused to adopt the religion of the local people. At the time people of the middle east were polytheistic and worshipped idols. The Hebrews’ refusal to participate in the religious traditions of the majority, gave the perception that they were stubborn and different. These feelings grew into resentment towards the Hebrews. Judaism was the world’s first monotheistic religion.

Christianity Advent = the coming of Jesus After the advent of Christianity, a new anti- Judaism evolved. Initially, Christianity was seen as simply another Jewish sect, since Jesus, and his disciples were Jewish and preached a new form of Judaism. The early church blamed Jews for Jesus being crucified. In the year 70, the Romans destroyed the Jewish State and most Jews were scattered throughout the ancient world. During the first few hundred years after the crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans, adherents or followers of both religions coexisted. Sometimes the relationship was peaceful. Sometimes there was conflict and animosity because both groups tried to practice their faiths in the same lands while be dominated by the Roman Empire (who was still practicing polytheism for the most part)

Rome converts to Christianity As Roman emperors converted to Christianity, it became the sole established religion of the empire. Early Christian church leaders saw Christianity as the successor to Judaism and hoped to convert practicing Jews to Christianity. The refusal of Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah was viewed as a threat to the Roman rulers and to Christianity. Since both religions followed the Old Testament, Christians sought to establish the validity of their new religion by claiming Judaism was an inferior faith and Christianity should be followed in place of Judaism. Messiah = the anticipated savior of the Jews.

Middle Ages and anti- Semitism From the years Jews were forbidden to marry Christians, prohibited from holding positions in gov, and not permitted as serving as witnesses against Christians in court. As Jews were officially and legally being ostracized, bizarre fantasies about Jews rose up in Northern Europe that foreshadowed the anti-Semitism of the 20 th century. It was alleged that Jews had horns and tails and engaged in ritual murders of Christians. These stories reoccurred in English and German myths for centuries.

The Crusades In 1095, Pope Urban II made a general appeal to the Christians of Europe to take up the cross and sword and liberate the Holy Land from the Muslims, beginning what is known as the Crusades. This religious fervor against Muslims during the Crusades era also had direct consequences for Jews. The Crusader army, which more closely resembled a mob, swept through Jewish communities looting, raping, and massacring Jews as the moved east. Thus the pogrom (the organized massacre of a targeted group of people) was born.

The Plague During the middle of the 14 th century, the Bubonic Plague spread throughout Europe, killing an estimated 1/3 of the population. Fear and superstition and ignorance prompted the need to find someone to blame… the Jews were a convenient scapegoat. Though Jews were also dying from the plague, they were accused of poisoning wells and spreading the disease. In Germany and Austria it is estimated 100,000 Jews were burned alive for “spreading the plague” and for being accused of using the blood of Christian boys to make Passover Matzoth ! Matzoth = uleavened bread that is eaten during the Jewish holiday of Passover. scapegoating = blaming an individual or group for something based on that person or group’s identity when, in reality, the person or group is not responsible

The Reformation Martin Luther, the founder of the 16 th century Reformation and Protestantism, wrote a pamphlet in 1545 entitled The Jews and Their Lies, claiming that Jews thirsted for Christian blood! The pamphlet also urged Christians to slay the Jews. The Nazis reprinted this 1545 pamphlet in Some scholars point to Martin Luther’s pamphlet marks the transition from anti- Judaism (attacks motivated because of Jews’ refusal to accept Christianity) to anti- Semitism (hatred of Jews as a so-called race that can contaminate the purity of another race)

Increasingly Jews were subjected to political, economic and social discrimination, resulting in losing their legal and civil rights. They were restricted to living in ghettos. Beginning in the 13 th century, Jews were required to wear a distinctive symbol (a badge or a pointed hat) so that they could be immediately recognized in many communities. This was revisited by the Nazis in the 20th century Definitions for ghetto: A usually poor section of a city inhabited primarily by people of the same race, religion, or social background, often because of discrimination. An often walled quarter in a European city to which Jews were restricted beginning in the Middle Ages.

Money lending Since Jews were not allowed to own land and the Church did not allow Christians to loan money, they had few alternatives but to become moneylenders. Once they became associated with the forbidden trade of usury (the practice of lending money and charging a high interest) a new set of stereotypes evolved around the Jews as money-hungry and greedy. As money lenders Jews were frequently useful to rulers who used their capital to build cathedrals and pay for armies. As long as Jews benefited the ruling class, either through financing their expenses or serving as convenient scapegoats, they were tolerated. However, when it suited monarchs, they were also expelled from their homeland: England in 1290, France in 1394, and Spain in 1492.

Anti-Semitism continues… The term anti-Semitism was coined in 1873 by Wilhelm Marr, a German political agitator in his work, Victory of Judaism over Germanism. His thesis was that Jews were conspiring to run the country and should be excluded from citizenship. In Russia, czarist secret police published a forged collection of documents that became known as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. It told of a secret plot by rabbis to take over the world. Racism and anti-Semitism were also fueled and facilitated by the development of Social Darwinism.

In Russia, although most Jews themselves were extremely poor, they were blamed for all the problems of the Russian peasantry. Pogrom s were instigated by the czarist secret police. In 1905, Russia’s loss in the Russo-Japanese War moved the government to incite a bloody pogrom in Kishinev. Between 1917 and 1921, after the Russian Revolution, more than 500 Jewish communities in the Ukraine were wiped out by pogroms. About 600,000 Jewish men, women, and children were murdered. Pogrom – an organized, often officially encouraged massacre or persecution of a minority group, especially one conducted against Jews

Why did anti-Semitism turn to genocide in Germany? Following WWI, Germany was a deeply troubled country. Having lost the war, its citizens felt humiliated by defeat. The victorious countries, including the U.S. France, and England authored the Treaty of Versailles, a peace treaty which forced Germany to give up territory and to pay reparations to countries whose land it had damaged. Adolph Hitler appealed to the people of Germany’s emotions and prejudices. He aroused discontent with the Jews to advance his own political agenda. Obedience to authority was also a strong cultural norm in Germany. Hitler called on fictitious stories from the Middle Ages to evoke fear that the Jews would contaminate what he called the superior Aryan race. Therefore, according to Hitler, all Jews and their genetic pool must be eliminated. Hitler also blamed Jews for Germany’s defeat in WWI. He believed Jews led the rebellion against the Kaiser which brought about the end of the monarchy and loss of the war. Many other personal rumors about Hitler and Jews continue to circulate…