JWST 240 Chapter Notes - Chapter reading: Heinrich Himmler, Social Darwinism
Document Summary
The term antisemitism was coined in the 1870s by a german journalist who wanted to contrast his supposedly scientific antipathy towards jews with religious forms of anti-judaism. Antipathy toward jews in europe dated back as far as the ancient world. In 70 ce romans destroyed the temple in jerusalem, the focal point of jewish life up to that time. The rise of christianity added to anti-jewish sentiments. Some early christian accounts blamed jews for jesus"s death even though the crucifixion was a roman form of punishment practiced during jesus"s time. Often crusades against muslims and christians accused of heresy started or ended with violent attacks against jews (pogroms) German jews were generally excluded from the highest ranks of the government bureaucracy and the military. Jewish and black men were described as sexual predators who lusted after christian or white women.
