Language:
English
Year of publication:
1997
Titel der Quelle:
Modern Judaism
Angaben zur Quelle:
17,2 (1997) 163-177
Keywords:
Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm,
;
Antisemitism History 1800-2000
Abstract:
Due to endeavors of some Nazi supporters, including Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth, Friedrich Nietzsche was presented as a proto-Nazi and a racist. To his English language publisher, Walter Kaufmann, Nietzsche's stance toward Jews and Judaism, as expressed in his work "Antichrist" (1888), seems to be "puzzling." However, a close reading of this work shows that Nietzsche's negative stance toward Judaism is consistent with his well-known opposition to antisemitism (Nietzsche broke with Wagner's circle in part because of the latter's antisemitism). "Antichrist" must be regarded in the context of Nietzsche's argument with Renan, who viewed the history of Christianity as one of growing separation from Judaism. Nietzsche's stance to Judaism is the reverse of that of Christian theology: he praises the ancient Hebrews and modern Jews, but attacks "decadent" prophetic Judaism, which gave birth to Christianity. The Jews who are attacked by Nietzsche are in fact the 19th century's "Christian Jews."
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