Anti-Semitism
TTTE
JEWISH EXCYCLOPEDIA
It was, tlicri'fori'. imt (lirticult fur Prince Bismarck, wlicii in 1H78 lie clmiij.'i-«l liis lilxnil policy anil returned to his former reaclionarv iirin<iples, to wake
an echo in the hearts of the people which was soon answered in Ihmirary. Austria, and Fninci'. In order to comprehend this fully, we must understand the political condition of (lermany, where Anti-Semitism originated (" L'Antisemitisme moderne c'est line impor-
—
tation allemande." says A. Leroy-Beaulieu, in " Isniel cliez les Nations." p. 25. Paris. lnt)7). IJismarck had always been an advocate of autocracy and Attitude of an opponent of a parliamentary form Bismarck, of irovernment. AVIien he adfipted the latter, it was partly liecaiseof the e.ijreucies of the times, and partly liccause the Liberals stood fora united Germany, while the Conservatives opposed it as an encroachment ujion the sacred ri.irhts of the lejritimate princes, and the Ultramontane ])arty dreaded it on account of the hegemony of Protestant Prussia. From IstiT Bismarck allied himself with thcLiberal.s to which party most of theCJerman.Iews belonged and tlius obtained the ric|uired jiarliamcntary support in founding the (iciiiian empire. When the empire had beeu tirnily established, the danger of a rest unit ion of the monarchy in France and of a war of revenge had passed entirely away. When President MacMahon had resigned (IMTit), and the Liberals had done their |)arl in assisting Bismarck in his war against the Catholic Church, the "iron chancellor" grew tired of his allies. Accidental events had aided him in produ<ing the impression that his change of |)olicy was necessjuy. On May 11, 1S7.S, Ho<lcl, a vagabond, made an attempt upon the life of Emperor William. As Ilddel had some leanings toward the Socialist party, the government introduced a bill in the Heichstag against
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This bill was rejected; but Socialistic agitations. shortly afterward (.Tune 'i. ISTS) sympathy with " glory -crowned " monarch, who was then in the his eighty-second year, and the great jirestige which the government gained through the Congress,. held in Berlin, which followed the war between Russia and Turkey, st rengthened the case of he government, which dissolved the Keichstag, The ni-w elections (.Tuly 8(p. 1878) brought an increase of Conservative mend)ers. This may be considered the birlliday of Anti-Semitism. The word The Grermanhad not yet been uttered b>it a " Xeiier Elections Wahlverein " (New Electoral Society), of July 30, which had been formed in Breslau, 1878. drew up a platform which jiroclainied the necessity for a revision of the Liberal legislation of previous years. Two years before this, the "Deutsch-Konscrvative Partei " had been formed, which proclaimed the neces.si(y for the Christianization of school and state. This party was a reactionary one of moderate tendencies. In 1878 an attempt was made to win over the masses of the people to the conservative ])rograin by the foundation of the Christian-Socialist Party (Christlich-Sociale Partei). which adopted some parts of the Socialistic jirogram, in combination with conservative principles. The real founder of this party was the court chaplain Adoi.f SrikiiEi!. The object of this organization was to luovide a vent for the political dissatisfaction of the people. Officially, Anti-Semitism did not show itself at first in its true colors. It wsxs, however, the Antimoving force of the Christian-SocialSemitism ist partv. at the head of which was the 1878-1900. court chaplain Adolf Stocker. Bismarck had wearied of the Liberals, upon whose support he could not rely for his new policy, which demanded sjiecial laws against the SocialI
644
a protective tariff, measures against the abu.se of commercial freedom, and increasing deman<ls for the army. The Christian-Socialists S(Kin received enthusiastic support from many cpiarters, cspeiially from teachers and journalists, Oneof the most important acipiisitions to thiir cause was Ileinricli von TreitIxil-t-'JO; jirofessor of history in tin' I'niverschke sity of Berlin, a mend)cr of the National Liberals), from whose remarks two bitter phrases gained wide currency, lie spoke of " IIoseMiverkaufende Polists,
(
nisclie .Ilinglinge " (Polish youngstei-s
who
s<-ll
trou-
and SJiid: "In the circles of educated Germans, who would jirotest indignantly against the charge
sers),
of religious or national intolenuice. oni- single cry is heard, "The .lews are oiu' misfortune' /Jir Jnilfii Kind iiiiser L'lii/liir/,] (see " Preussische .lahr-
bncher." Nov. atid'Hec. 1879. and .Ian.. 188(1; reprinted as a pamiihlel imder the title, " Ein Wort iiber Unser .ludentum," Berlin. 1880). The importance of thise articles is demonstrated by the fact that the minister of public woi-ship. von Puttkamer, a iirominent niend)erof the Keactionary party, whom Bismarck had appointed in the place of the Liberal Falk. referred to it. in a debate in the Prussian Diet, Feb. 13, 1880, as a proof of the necessity of Jire.serving the <lenominationuI character of the public schools. The excitement continued and nnclnd such a pitch that in Berlin .lews were assaulted in ]iublic |daces. On one such occasion a .lew named ICantorowicz was insulteil in a streetcar by two high school profes.sors and slapixd one of his assjiilants in the face; tiiis brought about a debate in the Diet which lasted two days (Nov. 20-','3. 1H80).
a member of the Liberal ]iarty. had interpellated the government as to tjie jiosition it intended to take with regard to the anti-Semitic movement, which had assumed tangible shape in a petition to the government to restrict the civil and )iolitical rights of the .lews. Minister Count von ."^lolberg replied that, while the government had not yet received the petition, he was ready to dechire that it lia<l no intention of altering the existing laws. Professor Virchow replied, however, that tiie antiSemitic movement, started by the Clericals ami the Feudalists, had received encouragement and materia! aid from the secret funds of the government, which desired to see some .lewish (leputies defeated. Public meetings, at which Stiicker and his adjuHiincl.
tants. Fiirster and Ilenrici. harangued the audience, denouncing the .lews as a danger to the (Jermau nation, were of daily occurrence. In all numicipal elections Anti-Semitism was made an issue. Women's .•issociat ions were formed with the ob-
Anti-Semitism an
ject of boycotlin;: all .lewish ini'rstrongagitation was set on chants. foot to enlist the interest of the stuIssue in Elections. dents. The petition to disfranchise the .lews obtained 1.400 signatures aiufing the students of Berlin, and .0'2'i among those of Leipsic. In spite of the strict rule enforced by the Prussian polic<', serious riots occurred at NetistetXot long afterward the syntin. .hdy 17. 18. 1881. agogue of that ]ilace was burned down, and the
A
.lews being charged with having set fire to the liuilding, some of them were arrested as incendiaries on charges preferred by the anti-Semites; though declared innocent, they were attacked by a mob. and only the timely interference of the polic<' saved them
from being
kiile<l
(March
7.
1884).
The language of
A
parliaments. priest named Frank, a deputy to the Bavarian Diet, said (.Tan. 30, 1880) in an address: "If you wish to assist the .starving i)o]Mil;ition in the Si)essart. make one brief law:
mobs was heard
in the
