Language:
English
Year of publication:
1997
Titel der Quelle:
Jewish Social Studies
Angaben zur Quelle:
3,2 (1997) 1-16
Keywords:
Jews
;
Antisemitism
;
Blood accusation
;
Antisemitism History 1800-2000
Abstract:
A lecture delivered at Stanford University, February 1996. Discusses the affair in the context of a study of Jewish politics in the modern era. Notes several unexpected aspects of the affair in which Jews of Damascus were accused by Christians of ritual murder. For one, it was the consuls of the liberal countries - Great Britain, the U.S., and France - who were most active in urging the government of Muhammad Ali, an Egyptian in rebellion against the Ottoman Empire, to pursue the accusation of ritual murder. For another, it was the autocratic countries Austria and Russia which were the most outspoken against the accusation. Notes that, contrary to general belief, it was wealthy Syrian Jews, not Adolphe Crémieux and Moses Montefiore, who did the most to secure freedom for the accused. Suggests that the increase in antisemitism evident in Europe from the 1880s was a direct result of the increase in liberal democratic government. Where censorship held sway, the Damascus Affair was played down in the press. In countries with a free press and democratic politics the story was sensationalized.
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