1. A History of Antisemitism in Europe Leading up to World War II
From the US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Resources

2. Definition
In 1879, German journalist Wilhelm Marr originated the term antisemitism.
Anti: against
Semite or Semitic: referring to a family of languages of Middle Eastern origin, including Hebrew and Aramaic
Later used to refer to ethnic and cultural heritage

3. Origins Roman conquest of Middle East
Jews resisted Roman Empire’s culture, etc.
As Europe became predominantly Christian, Jews were seen as:
Stubborn
Hostile
Arrogant
Murderers of Jesus

4. Myths in Middle Ages Blood libel Followers of anti-Christ
Myth that Jews used blood of Christian children in rituals
Seen in one of stories from Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
Followers of anti-Christ
Many Jews refused to convert to Christianity; myth that they must believe in the anti-Christ
Seen as disloyal to country as well as religion

5. Seen as scapegoats Pogroms Blamed for disasters
riots launched against Jews by local residents, and frequently encouraged by the authorities
Blamed for disasters
Black Plague
Expelled from countries or regions, or restricted to certain areas (ghettos)

6. Shift in societal role
Jews granted protection in early modern Europe (approx )
Jews permitted to take part in business and industry that ruling class didn’t want to
Usury (lending money at interest): illegal in the Catholic Church, but often necessary part of urban life
Finance
Commerce, supply, manufacturing
Arts: music, literature, theater, art, etc.
Managers on landed estates
Tax collectors

7. Jews not permitted to: Own land (in Central and Eastern Europe)
Serve as officers in the military
Hold positions of public office
Therefore not part of any upper class, as these positions required oaths of loyalty to Christian church as well as to nation

8. As a result, stereotypes developed
Guilds increasingly denied membership to Jewish handicraftsmen (unless they converted).
Stereotypes formed:
Jews did not work hard or produce goods with their hands
Jews chose to work with money because of their greed and their desire to manipulate and cheat Christians
Jews were cowards in a fair fight and avoided military service
Jews preferred meaningless study and frivolous entertainment to hard work
Jews were insincere and potentially disloyal in that they converted to Christianity to obtain material benefits

9. Nineteenth century: rapid social changes
Equality for all meant emancipation from previous restrictions on Jews
Some worried that Jews were “displacing” non-Jews in higher education and stable, high-paying jobs previously held exclusively by Christians
Antisemitic political parties developed

10. New stereotypes for new times: Nationalism replaced religion as concern
Modified stereotypes:
Jews were secretly disloyal to their country
Jews had assumed the leadership of the Social Democratic, and later, Communist movements in order to destroy middle class values of nation, religion and private property.

11. Rise of German Jews to the Middle Class (Robert Nelson, Revolution and Genocide)
prior to emancipation in Germany:
about 80 percent of Jews were small shopkeepers, peddlers, domestic servants, and beggars.
about 2 percent belonged to the “protected” elite of Schutzjuden, a class of wholesale merchants, bankers, and court Jews whose dealings were mainly with princes and with other Christians.
By 1861
2 percent of non-Jews engaged in trade in Prussia
58 percent of Jews were merchants
implies that 20 percent of all German merchants were Jews.

12. Science used to promote stereotypes
New knowledge of genetics and race
Social Darwinism:
Belief that humans are not one species but divided into several races to compete against one another for survival
Most who believed in social Darwinism believed that the Aryan, or white race, was superior
Believed that Jews were a race, not a religion
They would “pollute” the white race

13. Early 20th century Loss of World War I
Theories about Jewish and communist traitors working for foreign interests
Prominent individual communists of Jewish descent led to associating all Jews with communism
Leon Trotsky (Russia), Bela Kun (Hungary), Ernst Toller (Bavaria, Germany)

14. Post-Versailles Treaty Myths
Jews had started the war to ruin Europe financially and politically so they could be in control.
Jews were war profiteers.
With their inherited cowardice and instinctive disloyalty predisposing them against defending the nation, Jews were responsible for the depression of the troops and betrayed the army, causing the military defeat.

15. Post-Versailles Treaty Myths
At the peace negotiations, foreign Jews were responsible for dividing Germany from Hungary, while domestic Jews misled the nation to “surrender.”
The Jews controlled the complex finances of the reparations system for their own profit.
Jews used constitutional democracy to gain influence and to destroy the basis of superior Aryan blood by promoting intermarriage, sexual freedom, and miscegenation.

16. Reality 100,000 Jews served in German army during WWI
12,000 died in action
In 1933, Jews made up < 1% of the population.
Of the 250 Germans who held prominent government posts between 1919 and 1933, only four were Jews.