Holocaust Education Resources

1. History of Antisemitism

The history of antisemitism in Europe, including Germany, gives the context to the events of the Holocaust.
This section looks at the role of the Church, nationalist politics, the ideas of eugenics and the importance of propaganda in the development of antisemitism.

This etching from the end of the 19th century shows very clearly the antisemitism in German society before the rise of the Nazis.The upper part shows Germans celebrating their emperor as well as Jews being imprisoned, their property being confiscated and their synagogue closed.
The part below depictures Jews with long noses, suggesting that they imprison antisemites, ban Germans from Germany and make Germans work as slaves for them. The etching asks the question: Either / Or in the 20th century! and is related to the renewal of a law regarding the Jewish population in Germany.

(Please click on a section of the picture to see it more detailed)

Archive

For more material on the history of antisemitism try the keyword church in the Daghani catalogue.

Links

The Internet Medieval Sourcebook offers further texts on the history of antisemitism.