Reflections around Anti-Semitism

Enrique Biermann
enriquebiermann@yahoo.com
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Abstract:

After brief exploration of the general and common characteristics of the term anti-Semitism,this report follows a historical review of anti-Semitism in Europe, especially in Germanystarting in the 19thcentury. Different aspects and movements are considered, like radicalracism, social Darwinism, Nazism and Christian anti-Judaism. The article also analyzes theproblematic situation of the so called «assimilated» Jews confronted with German cultureand German identity. Because of its present capital importance, the so-called myth of theJewish world-conspiracy and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are mentioned. Finally, theintent is made to understand and comprehend the meaning of anti-Semitism by interpret-ing its psychological, psychoanalytical and sociological elements, including a brief study ofthe newest form of anti-Semitism carried out by some fundamentalists Muslim groups.

Keywords: racism, Nazism, jews, Jewish conspiration, Christian Anti-judaism.