PRAISE FOR ANTISEMITISM: “This book is timely, useful, and admirably readable. Its voice needs to be heard.” —Michael R. Marrus, Chancellor Rose and Ray Wolfe Professor of Holocaust Studies and Dean of the Graduate School, University of Toronto “A lucidly written work that reminds us that Man’s myth-making propensity lives side by side with his rationality.” —Henry L. Feingold, Board of Directors of the Center for Jewish History “[A] tour de force [that] follows upon the late Edward H. Flannery’s ground- breaking classic, The Anguish of the Jews.” —John Pawlikowski, O. S. M., President, International Council of Christians and Jews, Journal of Ecumenical Studies “[W]ell-written and insightful... well researched and quite worthwhile.” —Leonard Dinnerstein, Church History “A substantial, comprehensive, and updated historical survey of the main anti- semitic myths.” —Leon Volovici, Antisemitism International “Anti-Semitism: Myth and Hate from Antiquity to the Present by Marvin Perry and Frederick Schweitzer tells a story that must be confronted and overcome. Times such as these put the Perry-Schweitzer book on the required reading list.” —Editorial, Richmond Times-Dispatch “Perry and Schweitzer navigate the history of anti-Semitism with a firm hand, utilizing the latest scholarship and confronting controversial issues without fear.” —Library Journal “An extensive and informative survey and analysis of anti-Semitic myths... Antisemitism should be found upon the Judaic Studies shelves of every college and community library in the country.” —Midwest Book Review “[The authors] have rendered an invaluable service... explor[ing] and expos[ing]... anti-Semitism, a perennial plague of Western civilization.” —Rabbi Israel Zoberman, The Virginian Pilot “A wonderful read on a poignant topic. Highly recommended.” —Zev Garber, Perspectives “[A]n invaluable guide through the torturous maze of myth and lies propa- gated by antisemites throughout the ages.” —Anna Dogole, The Jewish Eye “[A]n important contribution to the dialogue and the literature on the subject.” —Chauncey Mabe, Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel This page intentionally left blank ANTISEMITISM Myth and Hate from Antiquity to the Present Marvin Perry and Frederick M. Schweitzer ANTISEMITISM Copyright © Marvin Perry and Frederick M. Schweitzer, 2002. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. First published in hardcover in 2002 by Palgrave Macmillan First PALGRAVE MACMILLAN™ paperback edition: August 2005 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 and Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS. Companies and representatives throughout the world. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin’s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN 1-4039-6893-4 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Perry, Marvin. Antisemitism : myth and hate from antiquity to the present / Marvin Perry and Frederick M. Schweitzer. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. Cloth ISBN 0-312-16561-7 Paperback ISBN 1-4039-6893-4 1. Anti-Jewish propaganda—History. 2. Antisemitism—History. 3. Christianity and antisemitism. 4. Blood accusation. 5. Holocaust denial. I. Schweitzer, Frederick M. II. Title. DS145 .P415 2002 305.892’4—dc21 2002022035 A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library. Design by Letra Libre, Inc. First PALGRAVE MACMILLAN paperback edition: August 2005 10987654321 Printed in the United States of America. CONTENTS Preface to the Paperback Edition vi Preface xvii Introduction 1 1. The Trial and Death of Jesus: The Myth of “Christ Killers” and the “Criminal People” 17 2. Ritual Murderers: Christian Blood and Jewish Matzohs 43 3. The Diabolization of Jews: Demons, Conspirators, and Race Defilers 73 4. Homo Judaicus Economicus: The Jew as Shylock, Parasite, and Plutocrat 119 5. Denying the Holocaust: A Neo-Nazi Mythology 175 6. Antisemitic Myths Blackwashed: The Nation of Islam Inherits a Devil 213 Conclusion 259 Appendix I Jewish-Muslim Relations in History 265 Appendix II Canada’s Attempts to Curb Ernst Zündel’s Antisemitic Actions as a Public Danger 269 Notes 279 Index 303 P REFACE TO THE PAPERBACK E DITION In researching and writing Antisemitism: Myth and Hate from Antiquity to the Present, it was our intention to discuss the evolution, nature, and meaning of historic and contemporary antisemitic myths that have denigrated Jews and Judaism. While relying on the best scholarship, we tried to make the book ac- cessible to students and the general reader. Since its publication in December 2002, Antisemitism: Myth and Hate from Antiquity to the Present has received nu- merous favorable reviews, none more pleasing to us than Derek H. Davis’ generous assessment in The Journal of Church and State (9/2003): In spite of the thousands of books that one can read on antisemitism, it is often difficult to find a book suitable for students that describes lucidly and competently antisemitic delusions and myths as both a logical absurdity and also a force that has shaped much of the history of the last two thousand years. This book qualifies in these respects unlike any book I have ever seen. I am confident that others will find it similarly useful. Reviewers’ comments, recent literature in the field, and current outbreaks of antisemitism, have led us to rethink sections of our work. We welcome the opportunity in this preface to the paperback edition to provide a brief after- word to some of the major themes treated in the book. In presenting the sensi- tive topic of the relationship of Christian antisemitism with the Holocaust, we took the position that a distinction has to be drawn between traditional Chris- tian antisemitism, which attributed the evilness of Jews to their religion and sought their conversion, and racial nationalism, which claimed that Jews, even those who had converted to Christianity, were indelibly stained by their genes. Nevertheless, along with other scholars, we concluded that centuries of Chris- tian denigration and persecution of Jews had led many Europeans to accept at face value the Nazi myth that Jews were inherently evil. In particular the two- PREFACE TO THE PAPERBACK EDITION vii thousand year old myth of deicide had poisoned the minds of Christians with hatred against Jews, a necessary precondition for genocide. The Nazis cleverly exploited this myth in their school curriculum. In one story assigned to ele- mentary school children a peasant mother standing in front of a roadside shrine to Christ says to her three children: Children look here! The man who hangs on the Cross was one of the greatest enemies of the Jews of all times. He knew the Jews in all their corruption and meanness. Once he drove the Jews out with a whip, because they were carry- ing on their money dealings in the Church. He called the Jews killers of men from the beginning. By that he meant that the Jews in all times have been murderers. He said further to the Jews: Your father is the Devil! Do you know, children, what that means? It means that the Jews descend from the Devil. And because they descend from the Devil, they live like devils. So they commit one crime after another. Because this man knew the Jews, because He proclaimed the truth to the world, He had to die. Hence the Jews murdered Him. They drove nails through his hands and feet and let Him slowly bleed. In such a horrible way the Jews took their revenge. And in a similar way they have killed many others who had the courage to tell the truth about the Jews. Always remember these things, children. When you see the Cross, think of the terrible murder by the Jews on Golgotha. Remember that the Jews are children of the Devil and human murderers.1 The recent furor over Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ, has focused renewed attention on the myth of deicide, the wellspring of all antise- mitic myths.2 Viewers of the film learn nothing about Jews, about Jesus’ Jew- ishness—his Jewish upbringing and his commitment to his ancestral faith. Nor are they made aware that Jesus’ moral outlook derives essentially from Jewish prophetic tradition to which his fellow Jews were deeply committed. None of these positive images are found in Gibson’s film. Instead viewers see a blood- thirsty and jeering Jewish mob, incited by ghoulish, cruel, vengeful, scheming priests crying out for more lashes and more blood—a combination of medieval images and Nazi caricatures. In the tradition of medieval passion plays and contrary to the judgment of biblical scholars, Gibson portrays Pontius Pilate as a thoughtful and humane person who is reluctant to harm Jesus. In histori- cal fact, Pilate was a cruel tyrant for whom Jesus was only one of many Jews he had crucified. Yet we are to believe that cunning, unscrupulous Jewish priests manipulated Pilate and were the real force behind the torture and execution of Jesus. As if an imperious Roman prefect, who had supreme authority in politi- cal and judicial matters, could be hoodwinked by a subject people. Gibson’s viii ANTISEMITISM anti-historical depiction reinforces the deicidal myth that bad Jews compelled good Romans to abuse and kill Jesus. The danger of The Passion of the Christ is that for millions of people throughout the globe, and for future generations, Gibson’s film will be re- garded as the authentic version of Jesus’ last hours, reinforcing old stereotypes and hatreds. When The Passion opened in Cracow, Poland, it is reported, many in the audience reacted with loathing.