Anti-Semtism in Europe 1880 - 1945

These resources look at the origins of anti-Semitism in Europe and how it evolved into the Final Solution. The key focus is on events in Russia, France and Germany, but is important to point out to your students that it was evident throughout Europe and the USA at this time.

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If you are new to teaching or studying this topic then its important to understand that anti-Semitism still exists and that the need to find scapegoats or someone to blame when things go wrong is one of the more nastier aspects of human nature and that falls to each generation to how this in check through education. The old biblical quote ‘Evil is when a few good men decide to do nothing’, is very relevant to studying this topic.

The modern version of anti-Semitism that we in Europe at this time grew out of events in Russia. The country was struggling politically, economically and socially so the Russian Tsar’s tried to redirect the Russian peoples attention onto blaming or 'scape goating ’ the Jews. This led to attacks on the Russian Jews which in turn led their mass migration into Europe and the USA. The arrival of these refugees stirred up latent anti-Semtism which made it harder for the existing Jewish communities and turn both anti-Semitism and Zionism into political movements in Europe. These movements were fueled by the political, social, economic and military crisis that grew out of German Unification 1871, The First World War 1914 - 1918, the Treaty of Versailles and the the creation of the Weimar Republic in 1919.

These events are covered in the resources that cover Russia, France and Germany 1880 to 1920. The booklet the 'Nazi attack on the Jews 1919 to 1945, cover the rise of the Nazi Party and the impact of the Great Depression and the Second World War 1939 - 1945.

When teaching your students about anti-Semitism do not forget that Facism or Nazism was not limited to Germany. The SS drew their recruits from all across Europe. Anti-Semitism was not a ‘German’ problem, it was a European and American problem based upon the prevailing racism of the time. My Dutch grandmother always drew a distinction between the ‘German Army’ or the ‘Wehrmacht’ and the SS. She remembered seeing a Dutch member of the SS shoot an old lady who was trying to pass food and water to Dutch Jews who were being deported in the cattle cars.

Kind Regards

Roy