Language:
German
Year of publication:
1994
Titel der Quelle:
Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte
Angaben zur Quelle:
105,2 (1994) 202-228; 105,3: 361-383
Keywords:
Philosemitism
;
Antisemitism History 1800-2000
Abstract:
A revised version of a lecture held in Heidelberg in November 1991. Explores the history of the term "philosemitic" and notes that originally, in the late 19th century, it was used in Germany in an antisemitic context to attack political opponents: reactionaries identified liberals as "philosemitic". Socialists, as well as Christian missionaries, opposed antisemitism but warned against philosemitism; the former saw the solution to the "Jewish problem" in the classless society, the latter in conversion. Liberals insisted that they were not "philosemitic": they were for universal rights, without any special preference for Jews. Concludes that the normative use of the term in political-intellectual discourse is dangerous, but it is useful as a descriptive term in historiography. Historically, philosemitism can be primary, arising from a conception of the importance of the Jews as Jews; or secondary - arising from external economic, political, or religious motives. To illustrate this point, analyzes the doctrine of the restoration of the Jews in 17th-century chiliasm and 18th-century pietism.
URL:
Locate this publication in Israeli libraries
