The Holocaust and AntiSemitism Lecture 13: February 23, 2009 The Holocaust and AntiSemitism

Quiz Describe one difference between pre-modern “religious anti-Judaism” and modern “anti-Semitism.” What is one theological problem raised by the Holocaust?

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What Happens When You Google “Jew”?

Christian Anti-Judaism Synagoga and Ecclessia Jews paradoxical position vis a vis Christianity

The Crusades and Medieval Persecution Rescue Christian Holy Sites (1099) Widespread massacres and forced conversion Blood Libels (1144) Fourth Lateran Council (1215) Limited Usury, Jewish badge Talmud on-trial-Why? Black Death and Poisen Wells (1348)

Jewish Expulsion 1290 Expulsion from England 1306-1394 Jews expelled from France 1492 Expulsion from Spain

The New Antisemitism Traditional Christian anti-Judaism Theology Conversion is a possibility 1879-New Term: “Antisemitism” Wilhelm Marr and Karl Duehring Racial terminology Biological and unchangeable 1894 Alfred Dreyfus Affair

Why Antisemitism? Ask them for ideas?

Rise of Antisemitism? Economic Political Psychopolitical Terms Lower class resentment Dislocation of capitalism, industrialization Blame Jews for competition of capitalism Political Resent democracy, equality, anticlericalism Antisemitism as tool for illiberal forces Yearn for a pre-modern utopia Psychopolitical Terms Glorification of German people Need common enemy

The Holocaust Systematic, state-sponsored persecution and annihilation of approximately 6 million Jews by Nazis and collaborators between 1933 and 1945 Jews are less than 1% of German population (500,000) Final Solution to Jewish Question

Questions Raised by Holocaust Why did the Nazis want to exterminate the Jews? Hitler’s plan from the beginning? Response to failure of other efforts to solve Jewish problem How did Hitler and the Nazis succeed in imposing view on millions of Germans? Germans wanted change after WWI Nazis implemented totalitarian dictatorship Bureaucratic proccess

More Questions… How did Nazis manage to kill Jews outside of Germany? Had support of local governments Exterminate nearly all Jews living in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Western Russia Most Jews in Hungary, Holland and Greece How did America remain silent?

Impact of the Holocaust on Judaism Demographic Wipes out center of Jewish life Émigrés have huge impact on American Jewish community Theological Is covenant broken? Unprecedented destruction Where is God? 614th commandment

Impact, continued Centrality of Holocaust narrative Political Question Silence in 1950s and 1960s Gains centrality in recent decades Connection with Israel Today: Is there too much victimization? Political Question Will Jews always be persecuted? Recent rise in antisemitsim

Anti-semitism today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAncuwwUbj0

Antisemitic Themes Dual Loyalties Jews conspiring to destroy Western Civilization Control politics, culture, press, and economics Protocols of the Elders of Zion (Russia, 1903) Jews and 9/11 Holocaust Denial Racial distinction between good and evil groups Aryan vs. Semite Jews are strangers, parasites Dual Loyalties

The Protocols Today

Is America an Exception? No fight for emancipation in US Separation of Church and State Jews get vote in all states by 1840 Anti-Jewish antagonism muted Founded as place for religious dissidents Strong strain of civil nationalism Also racial and religious notions of American identity American society profoundly religious Strong belief in denominations Ideal citizen is connected to religious community