Figure 1.--

Only in the 19th century did Jews begin to gain full civil rights in Western Europe. The French Revolution left in its wake both liberal ideas and nationalistic passions. The two threads had very different impacts on Jews. As liberal ideas spread, Europen countries began to abolish anti-semetic laws. Spain finally abolished the Inquisiton. Countries by the late-19th century had begun to change laws and and adopt increasingly secular approaches. Part of this was to fully enfranchise Jews. This did not end anti-Semetic thought, in fact it seems to have fueled it in some quarters. Supression continued in the Papal states and anti-Semetic thought continued strong within the Church. Anti-Semitism remained pronounced in many countries, especially among highly nationaistic and often Catholic sections of society. Support for Socialist parties among Jews also alientated nationslist and traditionalist elements. And a new form of anti-semitism apeared--racial prejudice. The race factor was not absent in earlier periods, but was secondary to religion. The 'limpieza de sangre' (purity of blood) laws of medieval Spain applied to all non-Christians, but had a particularly adverse impact on the Jewish converts (maranos). They continued to bear some of the disabilities to which Jews had historically been subject. But as religious began to decline in importance, especially during the Enlightenment, race and nationalism increased in intensity. The two ideas were related as many countries defined nationality in terms of ethnicity and race. Many Europeans, especully the Germans did not see America as a real country because of its mixed ethnicity. Anti-Semitism and race nave been totally separate, but until the 19th century anti-semitism was primarily a religious matter. Countries that expelled Jews had often allowed them the option of converting. Race prejudice became increasingly pronounced in the 19th century. And it began to be justified in scientific terms, leading to the birth of apseudo-science--eugenics. Here a factor was the acquisition of African and Asian colonies as well as the appearance of Darwinism. (Darwin never appllied his theory to racial dictrine, but others did.) Europeans increasingly began to see the white race as superior. And racist theorists in some countries excluded the Jews from the national racial body. This became particulartly prevalent in France and Germany. These anti-Semites began defining Jews as not only a religious group, but a racial group. The mainstram trend, however, was for toleratioion and enfranchismen, although a kind of 'genteel' anti-Semitism remained pronounced. Anti-Semitism took two divergent paths. Jews that did not assimilate were criticised for being different. Jews that did assisilate were often criticised for doing too well in business and academia.

Enfranchisement

The legal status of Jews varied from country to country. In some contries as Europe emerged from the medievl era they commonly had the lkegal status of slaves to the emperor or kings. No where were they subjects with full legal rights. In many countries they were still banned from entry, but variously enforced. This only began to change with the Enligtenment (18th century). And only in the 19th century did Jews begin to gain full civil rights in Western Europe. This process began with the Enlightenment. The French Revolution left in its wake both liberal ideas and nationalistic passions. The two threads had very different impacts on Jews. As liberal ideas spread, Europen countries began to abolish anti-semetic laws. The progress was especially pronounced in France and Germany. America reflecting Englifgtenment yhought, ensrined religious freedom in the Constitution, but at first had few Jews. This only changed when Tsarist pogroms ans other persecutions drove millions of Eastern European Jews to America. Even Spain finally abolished the Inquisiton. Countries by the late-19th century had begun to change laws and and adopt increasingly secular approaches. Part of this was to fully enfranchise Jews. This did not end anti-Semetic thought, in fact it seems to have fueled it in some quarters. Supression continued in the Papal states and anti-Semetic thought continued strong within the Church. Anti-Semitism remained pronounced in many countries, especially among highly nationalistic and often Catholic sections of society. Support for Socialist parties among Jews also alientated nationslist and traditionalist elements.

Racism

A new form of anti-semitism apeared--racial prejudice. The race factor was not absent in earlier periods, but was secondary to religion. The 'limpieza de sangre' (purity of blood) laws of medieval Spain applied to all non-Christians, but had a particularly adverse impact on the Jewish converts (maranos). They continued to bear some of the disabilities to which Jews had historically been subject, But as religious began to decline in importance, especially during the Enlightenment, race and nationalism increased in intensity. The two ideas were related as many countries defined nationality larfgely in terms of ethnicity and race. Many Europeans, especially the Germans did not see America as a real country because of its mixed ethnicity. This condescending attitude would be a factir in Germany's demose in two great world wars. Anti-Semitism and race have never been totally separate, but until the 19th century anti-Semitism was primarily a religious matter. Countries that expelled Jews had often allowed them the option of converting. Race prejudice became increasingly pronounced in the 19th century. And it began to be justified in scientific terms, leading to the birth of apseudo-science--eugenics. Here a factor was the acquisition of African and Asian colonies as well as the appearance of Darwinism. (Darwin never appllied his theory to racial doctrine, but others did.) Europeans increasingly began to see the white race as superior. And racist theorists in some countries excluded the Jews from the national racial body. This became particulartly prevalent in France and Germany. These anti-Semites began defining Jews as not only a religious group, but a racial group. The mainstram trend, however, was for toleratioion and enfranchismen, although a kind of 'genteel' anti-Semitism remained pronounced. Anti-Semitism took two divergent paths. Jews that did not assimilate were criticised for being different. Jews that did assisilate were often criticised for doing too well in business and academia. Some politicians began using the idea of racial superiority in their campaigns as a way to get votes. This was especially pronounced in the American South after the Civil war, but the target was the recently emancipated slaves. It also occuured in Western Europe. Edouard Drumont, founded the Antisemitic League of France (1889). Karl Lueger (1844-1910) was one such politician. He was elected Mayor of Vienna, Austria (1897) as a popularist and fervent Catholic. He was also intensely anti-Semite and appealed to Vienna voters by blaming Jews for bad economic times. Lueger advocated overtly racist policies against non-German speaking minorities in Austria-Hungary and the Jewswere his favorite target. He was, however, constrained by the Austro-Hungarian legal structure. Lueger was a hero to a young man named Adolf Hitler, who was born in Austria (1889). Hitler's ideas, including his views of Jews, were shaped during the years he lived in Vienna, where he studied Lueger's tactics and the anti-Semitic newspapers and pamphlets that multiplied during Lueger's long administration.

Sources

Created: 3:46 AM 6/14/2015
Last updated: 3:46 AM 6/14/2015