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[[Image:Aldershot Cemetery.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Anti-Semitic graffiti on Jewish graves, Aldershot Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England, November, 2004. (c. Community Security Trust/Fox News)]]

[[Image:Aldershot Cemetery.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Anti-Semitic graffiti on Jewish graves, Aldershot Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England, November, 2004. (c. Community Security Trust/Fox News)]]

'''Anti-Semitism''' (or '''antisemitism''') is [[discrimination]] against, [[Hate|hatred]] against, or criticism of [[Jews]], Jewish culture, or the state of [[Israel]].  As a word it is first recorded in the English language in 1882,<ref>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antisemitism</ref> but as an idea and argument of hatred examples exist from much earlier times. It was Wilhelm Marr (1819 – 1904), a German agitator who coined the term ''"anti-semitism"'' in 1879 .

'''Anti-Semitism''' (or '''antisemitism''') is [[discrimination]] against, [[Hate|hatred]] against, or criticism of [[Jews]], Jewish culture, or the state of [[Israel]].  As a word it is first recorded in the English language in 1882,<ref>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antisemitism</ref> but as an idea and argument of hatred examples exist from much earlier times. It was Wilhelm Marr (1819–1904), a German agitator who coined the term ''"anti-semitism"'' in 1879.

==Origins of Anti-Semitism==

==Origins of Anti-Semitism==

In the [[Middle Ages]], Catholics blamed Jews for the death of Jesus Christ. This fueled Christian antipathy against Jews in most of Europe. This also led to rumors that Jews "desecrated the host" (tortured [[communion]] bread as per the [[Catholic]] doctrine of [[transubstantiation]]), and that they "poisoned the wells", leading to the [[Black Death]]. Another element that resulted in Jewish persecution was some quotations from the Talmud that had the Rabbis making various claims inferring that the Virgin Mary was a prostitute who had pre-marital relations with a Roman Centurion that resulted in Jesus's birth, and also claimed that Jesus was boiling in hot excrement for all eternity,<ref>http://answering-christianity.com/jews1.htm</ref><ref>http://www.answering-christianity.com/jews2.htm</ref> especially after the Jewish convert Nicolas Donin exposed these passages in 1239.<ref>http://www.traditioninaction.org/HotTopics/a028htJPII_VisitToSynagogue1986.htm</ref><ref>http://exodusmyth.com/2017/02/18/the-truth-about-the-talmud-michael-hoffman/</ref> It didn't help that Christians expelled practitioners of Judaism from various places. Professing Jews were expelled from England in 1290, from France in 1306, and from Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1496. (Those who converted to Christianity could remain.) Many went to Holland and Poland.  Napoleon removed most of the restrictions that kept Jews in ghettoes in Germany.

In the [[Middle Ages]], Catholics blamed Jews for the death of Jesus Christ. This fueled Christian antipathy against Jews in most of Europe. This also led to rumors that Jews "desecrated the host" (tortured [[communion]] bread as per the [[Catholic]] doctrine of [[transubstantiation]]), and that they "poisoned the wells", leading to the [[Black Death]]. Another element that resulted in Jewish persecution was some quotations from the Talmud that had the Rabbis making various claims inferring that the Virgin Mary was a prostitute who had pre-marital relations with a Roman Centurion that resulted in Jesus's birth, and also claimed that Jesus was boiling in hot excrement for all eternity,<ref>http://answering-christianity.com/jews1.htm</ref><ref>http://www.answering-christianity.com/jews2.htm</ref> especially after the Jewish convert Nicolas Donin exposed these passages in 1239.<ref>http://www.traditioninaction.org/HotTopics/a028htJPII_VisitToSynagogue1986.htm</ref><ref>http://exodusmyth.com/2017/02/18/the-truth-about-the-talmud-michael-hoffman/</ref> It didn't help that Christians expelled practitioners of Judaism from various places. Professing Jews were expelled from England in 1290, from France in 1306, and from Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1496. (Those who converted to Christianity could remain.) Many went to Holland and Poland.  Napoleon removed most of the restrictions that kept Jews in ghettoes in Germany.

==1800-1914==

==1800–1914==

===New nationalism===

===New nationalism===

Secular nationalism became a trend in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As a result, anti-Semitism was transformed in the 19th century from a matter of religion to a matter of language and culture. Each "nation" rediscovered its historic language and culture and tried to establish a national homeland.  However, this did not remove old biases against Jews in Europe. In most cases Jews were excluded or distrusted, and were not treated as part of the cultural center but as part of the periphery. Anti-Semitic references were common in the popular literature of both the 19th and early 20th centuries. It became more "scientific", and often connected with pseudo-scientific racial theories. The most notable example being the theory of [[evolution]].

Secular nationalism became a trend in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As a result, anti-Semitism was transformed in the 19th century from a matter of religion to a matter of language and culture. Each "nation" rediscovered its historic language and culture and tried to establish a national homeland.  However, this did not remove old biases against Jews in Europe. In most cases, Jews were excluded or distrusted and were not treated as part of the cultural center but as part of the periphery. Anti-Semitic references were common in the popular literature of both the 19th and early 20th centuries. It became more "scientific", and often connected with pseudo-scientific racial theories. The most notable example being the theory of [[evolution]].

===Germany===

===Germany===

In Germany, leading 19th century anti-Semites include composer [[Richard Wagner]] and his son-in-law writer [[Houston Stewart Chamberlain]].

In Germany, leading 19th century anti-Semites include composer [[Richard Wagner]] and his son-in-law writer [[Houston Stewart Chamberlain]].

Historians have long debated whether or not the Anti-Semitism of imperial Germany directly prepared the ideological climate for Nazism. One way of testing the thesis of direct continuity is to examine how Judeophobes proposed to solve the "Jewish problem" in the Second Reich, 1870-1914. At that time, most anti-Semites stopped short of calling for the exclusion of Jews from German society, and in fact many advocated full integration. A handful of exclusionists, believing in the preordained struggle with the Jews and being pessimistic about getting them to leave Germany, did, however, plant the seeds of genocide.<ref>Donald L. Niewyk, "Solving The 'Jewish Problem': Continuity and Change in German Antisemitism, 1871-1945." ''Leo Baeck Institute. Year Book'' 1990 35: 335-370.</ref>  

Historians have long debated whether or not the Anti-Semitism of imperial Germany directly prepared the ideological climate for Nazism. One way of testing the thesis of direct continuity is to examine how Judeophobes proposed to solve the "Jewish problem" in the Second Reich, 1870-1914. At that time, most anti-Semites stopped short of calling for the exclusion of Jews from German society, and in fact, many advocated full integration. A handful of exclusionists, believing in the preordained struggle with the Jews and being pessimistic about getting them to leave Germany, did, however, plant the seeds of genocide.<ref>Donald L. Niewyk, "Solving The 'Jewish Problem': Continuity and Change in German Antisemitism, 1871-1945." ''Leo Baeck Institute. Year Book'' 1990 35: 335-370.</ref>  

===Socialism===

===Socialism===

The national government of the Austro-Hungarian Empire deliberately protected Jews from violent Anti-Semitism. However, popular antipathy toward Jews was more deeply rooted and stubborn in Austria than in most European countries. Reasons included slow development of a secular, pluralist society based on individual rights and open career opportunities; survival of corporatist ideas of economic organization; replacement of the multinational ideal of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by political division and ethnic antagonism; and the conspicuous role of individual Jews in finance capitalism, mass media, arts, and radical politics.

The national government of the Austro-Hungarian Empire deliberately protected Jews from violent Anti-Semitism. However, popular antipathy toward Jews was more deeply rooted and stubborn in Austria than in most European countries. Reasons included slow development of a secular, pluralist society based on individual rights and open career opportunities; survival of corporatist ideas of economic organization; replacement of the multinational ideal of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by political division and ethnic antagonism; and the conspicuous role of individual Jews in finance capitalism, mass media, arts, and radical politics.

Karl Lueger, the popular mayor of Vienna (1897-1910) and routinely used high powered Anti-Semitic rhetoric.  It caught the attention of one young resident, Adolf Hitler, who had come from Linz.  But there was no action takes against Jews, who played a major role in Vienna’s cultural and business life. Lueger operated within a strong national government that tolerated Jews. The Habsburg dynasty did not allow significant anti-Jewish actions in its domains. The inviolate character of the Rechtsstaat and of a political culture based on law still existed. Mass violence within this political system was rare, and economic life was not yet caught up in the disastrous economic cycles of the post-1918 era. All these structural factors were serious barriers to the translation of anti-Semitic rhetoric in Vienna from words into deeds during the Habsburg era. In the 1930s, however, as Austria became culturally and politically dominated by its northern neighbor, Vienna became increasingly hostile, and many Jews fled even before the Nazis marched in and took over in 1938.

Karl Lueger, the popular mayor of Vienna (1897–1910) and routinely used high powered Anti-Semitic rhetoric.  It caught the attention of one young resident, Adolf Hitler, who had come from Linz.  But there was no action takes against Jews, who played a major role in Vienna’s cultural and business life. Lueger operated within a strong national government that tolerated Jews. The Habsburg dynasty did not allow significant anti-Jewish actions in its domains. The inviolate character of the Rechtsstaat and of a political culture based on law still existed. Mass violence within this political system was rare, and economic life was not yet caught up in the disastrous economic cycles of the post-1918 era. All these structural factors were serious barriers to the translation of anti-Semitic rhetoric in Vienna from words into deeds during the Habsburg era. In the 1930s, however, as Austria became culturally and politically dominated by its northern neighbor, Vienna became increasingly hostile, and many Jews fled even before the Nazis marched in and took over in 1938.

Anti-Semitism was an integral part of the political platform of the Austrian Socialist Left before 1914. Given the depths of anti-Jewish feelings among the Austrian masses, the Socialists endeavored to woo the working class from right-wing political parties through employing the latter's anti-Semitic arguments concerning Jewish control of the Austrian economy. This approach was even utilized by such Socialists of Jewish background as Victor Adler. Once Lueger's anti-Semitic party gained control of the Vienna municipal government in 1897, the Socialist press attacked him and his associates for their alleged lack of fidelity to their anti-Semitic principles through covert dealings with the Jewish upper class.

Anti-Semitism was an integral part of the political platform of the Austrian Socialist Left before 1914. Given the depths of anti-Jewish feelings among the Austrian masses, the Socialists endeavored to woo the working class from right-wing political parties through employing the latter's anti-Semitic arguments concerning Jewish control of the Austrian economy. This approach was even utilized by such Socialists of Jewish background as Victor Adler. Once Lueger's anti-Semitic party gained control of the Vienna municipal government in 1897, the Socialist press attacked him and his associates for their alleged lack of fidelity to their anti-Semitic principles through covert dealings with the Jewish upper class.

===Russia===

===Russia===

Alone among the major European nations, Russia in the 19th century did not emancipate its Jewish subjects. Popular anti-Semitism (which had an anticapitalist bias) proceeded from, and flourished with the support of, anti-Jewish laws and official policies that tried either to forcibly integrate Jews into or to segregate them from the rest of Russian society - especially rural society. Pogroms – systematic slaughters of thousands of Jews in certain areas — happened in clusters, as in 1881-82 and 1905–06, and were related to severe political crises involving the issue of Jewish emancipation.

Alone among the major European nations, Russia in the 19th century did not emancipate its Jewish subjects. Popular anti-Semitism (which had an anti-capitalist bias) proceeded from, and flourished with the support of, anti-Jewish laws and official policies that tried either to forcibly integrate Jews into or to segregate them from the rest of Russian society - especially rural society. Pogroms – systematic slaughters of thousands of Jews in certain areas — happened in clusters, as in 1881-82 and 1905–06, and were related to severe political crises involving the issue of Jewish emancipation.

===Italy===

===Italy===

===France===

===France===

[[Alfred Dreyfus]] (1859-1935) was a Jewish officer in the French Army falsely accused of spying in the 1890s. The Dreyfuss Affair became a central issue in French politics, with critics like Émile Zola—who creed "[[J'accuse]]"—insisting it was a miscarriage of justice brought by a conspiracy of Catholic army officers. Dreyfuss was proven innocent and released in 1899.

[[Alfred Dreyfus]] (1859–1935) was a Jewish officer in the French Army falsely accused of spying in the 1890s. The Dreyfuss Affair became a central issue in French politics, with critics like Émile Zola—who creed "[[J'accuse]]"—insisting it was a miscarriage of justice brought by a conspiracy of Catholic army officers. Dreyfuss was proven innocent and released in 1899.

==1914-1945==

==1914–1945==

Anti-Semitism was the core belief of [[Adolf Hitler]] and the Nazis (National Socialists), helping them gain power in Germany in 1933 and leading to their murder of six million Jews during the [[Holocaust]] of World War II.

Anti-Semitism was the core belief of [[Adolf Hitler]] and the Nazis (National Socialists), helping them gain power in Germany in 1933 and leading to their murder of six million Jews during the [[Holocaust]] of World War II.

American aviator [[Charles Lindbergh]] disparaged Jews at a critical debate over intervention in the war in Europe in 1940. He led the "[[America First]]" movement opposed to war. He suggested the drive to war was orchestrated by Jews and would hurt the U.S.

American aviator [[Charles Lindbergh]] disparaged Jews at a critical debate over intervention in the war in Europe in 1940. He led the "[[America First]]" movement opposed to war. He suggested the drive to war was orchestrated by Jews and would hurt the U.S.

== Soviet Union and anti-semitism (1922-1991) ==

== Soviet Union and anti-semitism (1922–1991) ==

 

{{See also|Atheism and anti-semitism|Left-wing Anti-Semitism#20th century: Stalinist anti-Semitism}}

See: [[Atheism and anti-semitism]]

==Post 1945==

==Post 1945==

Following World War II there was a steady decline of anti-Semitism, and a virtual disappearance of discrimination against Jews, in North America and Western Europe. Despite an apparent resurgence in Russia and Eastern Europe after the collapse of communism and occasional outbreaks elsewhere, anti-Semitism outside the Middle East by the early 1990s was only one - and a relatively minor - type of the xenophobia found in multiethnic, multicultural societies.  

Following World War II there was a steady decline of anti-Semitism, and a virtual disappearance of discrimination against Jews, in North America and Western Europe. Despite an apparent resurgence in Russia and Eastern Europe after the collapse of communism and occasional outbreaks elsewhere, anti-Semitism outside the Middle East by the early 1990s was only one - and a relatively minor - type of the xenophobia found in multiethnic, multicultural societies.  

Anti-Semitism was in total disrepute after the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945.  After 1945 Anti-Semitism was not significantly greater in Germany than in Britain or France. For some years after 1945 the overwhelming majority of Jews in Germany were refugees and displaced persons from the East. Most of them emigrated to Israel, North and South America, or Australia, leaving behind small numbers who would not or could not leave. Some German Jews had "assimilated" and were criticized by Eastern Jews as being too lax in their religious observance, but all Jews faced problems arising from questions of reparations and remembrances of the Holocaust. Democratic [[West Germany]] admitted its guilt and made large scale financial reparations to Israel. Communist [[East Germany]], however, denied everything, opposed Israel and promoted anti-Semitism as the Nazis before them had.  

Anti-Semitism was in total disrepute after the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945.  After 1945 Anti-Semitism was not significantly greater in Germany than in Britain or France. For some years after 1945, the overwhelming majority of Jews in Germany were refugees and displaced persons from the East. Most of them emigrated to Israel, North and South America, or Australia, leaving behind small numbers who would not or could not leave. Some German Jews had "assimilated" and were criticized by Eastern Jews as being too lax in their religious observance, but all Jews faced problems arising from questions of reparations and remembrances of the Holocaust. Democratic [[West Germany]] admitted its guilt and made large-scale financial reparations to Israel. Communist [[East Germany]], however, denied everything, opposed Israel and promoted anti-Semitism as the Nazis before them had.  

===United States===

===United States===

In 1958 the [[American Nazi Party]] was founded by [[George Lincoln Rockwell]], who is known for his holocaust denial and racist positions.

In 1958 the [[American Nazi Party]] was founded by [[George Lincoln Rockwell]], who is known for his holocaust denial and racist positions.

In 1984 [[Democrat Party]] presidential candidate, and noted liberal, [[Jesse Jackson]] uttered anti-Semitic slurs to reporter for the ''Washington Post'' when discussing the state of African-American and Jewish relations, which had been a key [[New Deal Coalition]] for half a century. Jackson is reported to have referred to Jews as "Hymies", and to New York City as "Hymietown".  Jackson apologized, but it was never forgotten.<ref>[http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=187440 Jesse and the Jews], Michael W. Hirschorn, ''The Harvard Crimson'', March 05, 1984.</ref>  Mayor Ed Koch even said that any Jews who vote for Jackson in 1988 were "crazy".

In 1984, [[Democrat Party]] presidential candidate, and noted liberal, [[Jesse Jackson]] uttered anti-Semitic slurs to a reporter for the ''Washington Post'' when discussing the state of African-American and Jewish relations, which had been a key [[New Deal Coalition]] for half a century. Jackson is reported to have referred to Jews as "Hymies", and to New York City as "Hymietown".  Jackson apologized, but it was never forgotten.<ref>[http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=187440 Jesse and the Jews], Michael W. Hirschorn, ''The Harvard Crimson'', March 05, 1984.</ref>  Mayor Ed Koch even said that any Jews who vote for Jackson in 1988 were "crazy".

==Modern anti-Semitism==

==Modern anti-Semitism==

===Anti-Semitism and the Left===

===Anti-Semitism and the Left===

Anti-semitism has been growing rapidly at a phenomenal rate in Liberal countries, especially European countries.  

Anti-semitism has been growing rapidly at a phenomenal rate in Liberal countries, especially European countries.  

*[[Theory of Fundamentalist anti-Semitism]]

*[[Theory of Fundamentalist anti-Semitism]]

*[[Suicide bomber: a personal account]]

*[[Suicide bomber: a personal account]]

*[[Christianity and anti-semitism]]

*[[Christianity and anti-semitism]]