Figure 1.--NAZI proppaganda was to pair anti-Semitism with patriotism. Almost all German boys were patriotic, but fewer were racist even anti-Semetic. Many boys at the time the NAZIs seized power had Jewush friends. The NAZIs depicted the Jews as a theat to the nation beginning with the November crime--ending World War I when victory was in sight. And they also connected Jews with the unpopular Versailles Peace Treaty. After the NAZI take over, the public was bobarded with anti-Semric propaganda. The children were the most vulnerable because they werectargeted both at School and in the Hitler Youth and they had no source of information to counteract the propaganda. Thus when Hitler launched the War, it was largely believed by German soldiers that the Jews were responsible for starting the War and were a dangerous threat to German nation and people. Not all young Germans thought this way, but all many did.

Although not a strong element in Italian Fascism, the importance of the Germamn NAZIs in European Fascism made race, especialy anti-Semitism, a major element of European Fascism. Fascism was born in Italy after World War I, but similar political trends were at play throughout Europe. The primary focus of Mussolini and the Fascists were combating the Communists. And included among Mussolini's suporters were Jews who also opposed Communism. While racism was not initially a central element in Italian Fascism, it was almost inevitable to become important thrioughout Europe. Several factors were involved here. First, large numbers of Jews had left-wing view and were active in Communist and Socialist parties. Thuis was natural because of the internationist ideology of Socialist thought, downplaying nationalism. Jews saw clearly that the were threatened by states with a strong nationalist identity. Many Jews thus replaced Judaism wirth Socialism in their lives. Quite a number of the Bolsheviks who made the Russian Revolution were Jews, mosrly non-practicing Jews. And this was the case with Comminist and Socialist parties througout Europe. Facists focused on fighting Communism inevitably made this connection. Hitler certainly picked up on this almost immediately. did this with a vengence. It is a theme which appears in Mein Kampf (1924). Second, Fascist parties were ardent nationalists, often xenephonic. Thus it was very naturl for them to view the Jews as outsiders, even dangerous outsiders. Here nearly two millenia of anti-Semitism fed into the toxic mixture. Often Fascists did not see Jews as rel citizens. And in par because of this, many Jews identified themselves as Jews rather than Italians, Germans, Poles, Czechs, ect. This varied from country to country, affected by the level of assimilation. (This same basic issue is at play with minority Muslims in various countries today.) Fascist parties did not just target Jews, but also other religious and ethnic communities. The break up of the Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottoman, and Russian empires created a feee-for all among the various ethnic groups throughout Eastern and Central Europe. This proved particularly deadly in the Balkans during World War II. With the rise of Hitler, the NAZI pathological hatred of Jews became increasingly influential with Fascist parties in Europe. These parties had influence and supoorters, but were not able to win national elections. Thus developing positive relations with Hitler was vital for their success. At the same time nationalist thought commonly wasin conflict with German nationalism. There were various strains of racism and anti-Semitism among Fascists. Anti-Semitism existed in countries with very few Jews. Two British Fascists represented the two main strains, cultural and biological anti-Semitism. British Fascist Oswald Mosley expouse cultural anti-Smitism. He wrote, "We are realist not racist. We believe that races are different and should be preserved, but other races should not be persecuted. .... We do not attack Jews because they are Jews. We oppose some Jews for what they do.' Arnold Spencer Leese and his rival Imperial Fascist League waseven more viruyklenly anti-Semetic. He promoted 'Racial Fascism' meaning biological anti-Semitism. There is a strong focus on anti-Semitism when discussing Facist racism, larely because of the Holocaust. Actuallthe Holocaust was only one aspect of NAZI racism. Hitler and the NAZIs had a much more ambitious and deadly racial plan to remake the ethnic map of Europe.

Factors Leading to Racism

Although not a strong element in Italian Fascism, the importance of the Germamn NAZIs in European Fascism made race, especialy anti-Semitism, a major element of European Fascism. Fascism was born in Italy after World War I, but similar political trends were at play throughout Europe. The primary focus of Mussolini and the Fascists were combating the Communists. And included among Mussolini's suporters were Jews who also opposed Communism. While racism was not initially a central element in Italian Fascism, it was almost inevitable to become important thrioughout Europe. Several factors were involved here.

Jewish political trends

Large numbers of Jews had left-wing view and were active in Communist and Socialist parties. Thuis was natural because of the internationist ideology of Socialist thought, downplaying nationlism. Jews sawclearly that the were threatened by states with a strong nationlist identity. Many Jews thus replaced Judaism wirth Socialism in their lives. Quite a number of the Bolsheviks who made the Russian Revolution were Jews, mosrly non-practicing Jews. And this was the case with Comminist and Socialist parties througout Europe. Facists focused on fighting Communism inevitably made this connection. Hitler certainly picked up on this almost immediately. did this with a vengence. It is a theme which appears in Mein Kampf (1924).

Xenephobic nationalism

Fascist parties were ardent nationalists, often xenephonic. Thus it was very naturl for them to view the Jews as outsiders, even dangerous outsiders. Here nearly two millenia of anti-Semitism fed into the toxic mixture. Often Fascists did not see Jews as rel citizens. And in par because of this, many Jews identified themselves as Jews rather than Italians, Germans, Poles, Czechs, ect. This varied from country to countrty, affected by the level of assimilation. (This same basic issue is at play with minority Muslims in various countries today.) Fascist parties did not just target Jews, but also other religious and ethnic communities. The break up of the Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottoman, and Russian empires created a feee-for all among the various ethnic groups throughout Eastern and Central Europe. This proved particularly deadly in the Balkans during World War II. With the rise of Hitler, the NAZI pathological hatred of Jews became increasingly influential with Fascist parties in Europe. These parties had influence and supoorters, but were not able to win national elections. Thus developing positive relations with Hitler was vital for their success. At the same time nationalist thought commonly was in conflict with German nationalism.

Economic factors

Fascist parties advocated restricting Jewish economic aspirations. One group whre Fascists found considerable support was the middle-class. And since the emancipation of Jews in the 19th century, the middle class, both shop keepers and professional men, was facing considerble competition from Jews.

Strains of Fascism

There were various strains of racism and anti-Semitism among Fascists. Anti-Semitism existed in countries with very few Jews. Two British Fascists represented the two main strains, cultural and biological anti-Semitism. British Fascist Oswald Mosley expouse cultural anti-Smitism. He wrote, "We are realist not racist. We believe that races are different and should be preserved, but other races should not be persecuted. .... We do not attack Jews because they are Jews. We oppose some Jews for what they do.' Arnold Spencer Leese and his rival Imperial Fascist League was even more virulently anti-Semetic. He promoted 'Racial Fascism' meaning biological anti-Semitism.

Racial Targets

There is a strong focus on anti-Semitism when discussing Facist racism, larely because of the Holocaust. Actually the Holocaust was only one aspect of NAZI racism. The Holocaust was the beginning and a small part of what the NAZIs planned to do. Hitler and the NAZIs had a much more ambitious and deadly racial plan to remake the ethnic map of Europe. His ultimate target was the Slavs which he saw as an even greater threat to Germany than the Jews. The NAZI blueprint for eliminating the Slavs and other unwanted peope was Generalplan Ost. It was to remake the East in a huge German agricultural colony. The Slavs were to be killed, enslaved, or driven beyond the Urals. The same fate awaited the Balts. A major killing operation begun even before the shootings and gassings with the NAZI Hunger Plan. NAZI officials were surprised with how long ot took to strve people. This bought some time, but tragically for European Jews, they did not have a state or military force to defend them. To eliminate the Slavs, however, Hitler had to destroy the Red Army. This was the objective of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. There were a range of other racial targets. And these targets did not only include non-Germans. Before the Germans begn killing Jews began killing other Germans, including many children in the name of improving the nations racial stock--the infamous T-4 Euthenasia Program. Racism was a factor throughout European Fascusm, not other country, however, took it to the extremes of the NAZIs.

Created: April 5, 2004
Last updated: 6:51 PM 6/10/2013