Why were the Jews been hated so much in Europe prior the Great Depression in America?

Answer 1

I don't think anyone has really answered the question yet. Yes, there was prejudice against Jews throughout history, but how and why did it suddenly become so virulent in the modern age?

1. After the French Revolution, the process of "emancipation" began for the Jews during which they abandoned many traditional, isolated ways and joined as active and highly succesful members of mainstream society. At the same time, however, they continued to speak their own languages, lend money, marry only themselves, and consider themselves "Jews" before anything else ("German," etc.) Their success in all walks of life aroused the hatred and jealousy of the mainstrem society.

2. In the later 1800s, the eugenics movement began to talk about innate differences between races, and Jews were considered foreign born Semites rather than idealized white Europeans.

3. Many Jews were associated with socialist movements, making them unpopular with rival political ideologies.

4. The impression began to arise that Jews were responsible for several major historical events, including World War One, in a "conspiracy" to control the course of history.

These factors combined to create a general ambiance of anti-semitism throughout the 19th century, particularly among the poor and uneducated (Sartre famously mocked the knee-jerk anti-semitism of many middle class people). In the Dreyfus Affair in France, a loyal Jewish officer was evidently wrongly convicted of treason, highlighting the great social tensions at hand; in Russia, entire Jewish villages were often dislocated or terrorized in periodic pogroms.

It soon became clear that trouble was brewing for the Jews of continental Europe, with increasing social legislation passed against them and increasingly horrific rhetoric being used by the Nazi government as they were scapegoated for all social ills. The situation became so bad that William II, the former Kaiser of WW1 days, said that he was ashamed to be a German. As it became increasingly clear that a policy of state-sponsored xenophobia was at hand in Germany, the Anglo world (where many Jews had grown quite socially prominent and influential) drifted toward increasingly tolerant attitudes.

While most people knew that Jews were being oppressed in Europe and that very bad things were happening, the full horror of the Holocaust was only made evident after the war, at which point the western world was shocked out of its two thousand year old ambivalent relationship to Judaism (at least temporatily).

Answer 2

Historically regarded as "Christ killers", the fact that the Jews had no homeland in which to settle at a time of suspicion of foreigners led many to regard them with suspicion. Added to this is the fact that Jews are allowed by their faith to lend money, which Christians were forbidden to do. Few people like the person they owe money too.
When the Chronicles of Zion appeared, in a climate of distrust, it appeared that there was an international Jewish conspiracy, and that Jews were secretly planning world domination. The Jew was portrayed as separate and sinister. They wore different clothes. They ate different food. They were just .... different. They were as a consequence easy to see as less than human when atrocities happened.
It was easier to find a scapegoat to blame rather than admit fault for many catastrophes. From the great plague to the great depression, at almost every catastrophe that the ordinary man does not understand, the Jews have proved an useful scapegoat.

Answer 3

I have been suffering from post partum depression for the past one year when I gave birth to a baby boy. I couldn't stop thinking about how my husband loves him more than me and how things might be better if he wasn't born at all. Thus, I stayed away from him because I knew that I might do something I will regret for the rest of my life.

Almost instantly I went to a therapist and convince them that I need help. Among other things, I've tried herbal supplements and other book to treat depression but nothing works like the Depression Free Method. So now I'm proud to say I'm one of the happiest mother in the world. My husband loves us both very much and I thank the Lord for the blessing he gave us.

Depression Free Method?

Answer 4

When a lot of people are going through a depression, someone has to take the blame, right? It may as well be the jews.
Learn your history, then you can make a good prediction. When the USA suffers another major depression in the future, who do you think all of the unemployed americans are going to blame? I think gas chambers will make a comeback before the 21st century is finished. Instead of jews, who do you think will be going inside?

Answer 5

Think D.B.'s right about that. When there's a major crisis someone has to take the blame even if it's wrong to do this!
But Jews weren't exactly popular even before right through history. Remember the Inquisition in Spain? Or the Ghettos they built in Italy during the Renaissance?
Don't think/ hope that he's right about the gas chambers though.

Answer 6

This hatred of Jews long predates the Great Depression. I put it down to a cyclic process that began with the rise of Christianity. When Christianity became ascendant in Europe, many of its clergy took to blaming Jews for the crucifixion of Christ, and since Jews clearly believed that the real Messiah has yet to come, they were further vilified for being heretics of the most dangerous kind. Now, when you have a politically influential group that preaches this, it becomes acceptable for people to persecute minorities, in this case Jews. Next, it becomes respectable to exclude them from many professions, especially those can lead to power. Well, if you were a Jew living in Medieval times, you were excluded from Law and Medicine, and most trades. So what is left open to you? Christians despised money-lenders -- you remember what Christ did to those near the temple? So they did not want to be in that business, and the Jews were allowed to become masters of a despised profession. This virtual compulsion then became -- can you beat it!? -- another reason to hate Jews, that they engage in money-lending and charged interest! The hypocrisy of Christians is illustrated in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" in which there is a sub-text that Christian merchants needed to borrow money -- as all merchants do today -- to conduct their business. But they had to go to the Jewish Shylock to get the advance they needed for the shipping of goods -- and they had the cheek to despise him and his people for engaging in this "immorality". The poor Jews had no alternative!

This kind of reinforcing of the perception intensified, and since Jews could not buy houses in "respectable" (Christian) areas, they were forced to live together in what became ghettos. You guessed the next happening -- Jews were then blamed for failing to assimilate by wanting to keep to themselves.

Invariably, from time to time it was convenient for Christian politicians and royalty to distract their people from one sort of calamity or another, including epidemics like the plague. "The Jews did it!" is often the device to which they resorted, hence the periodic pogroms. The Holocaust can be seen as a gigantic pogrom made possible by advanced German technology, abetted by an already nervous and fearful populace.

It is well to remember that such dark forces are still with us, only the minority groups change. This is the true Original Sin. (BTW, I am not Jewish.)

Answer 7

To understand this question you have to go back to the very beginning of banking, written testimony, etc. The Hebrews were, and probably always have been the "Money changers" of our times, so, where does that put them? the people with money of course, they were the "bankers, the lenders, the loan sharks of the time, the jewelers, the diamond cutters, the money handlers" this in itself should answer the question and, many more similar questions, it was their destiny to handle money so, they always had it, whether it was theirs or not.

Answer 8

Because there is no limit to stupidity !