Antisemitic Myths

Choosing a representative sample of antisemitic documents in a field littered with so much information seems daunting. Much of the material chosen by Perry and Schweitzer illustrates the myth of a Jewish conspiracy to corrupt Christianity, Islam, or Gentile society in general. The authors correctly regard the idea of conspiracy as perhaps the most powerful force in the history of antisemitism and, indeed, it still dominates contemporary antisemitic discourse. While readers will find the usual excerpts from documents such as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion (1934), the authors also include lesser-known figures, such as the Nazi Hans Knodn, whose 1920 plan for mass deportation reminds readers that Hitler was not an original thinker. While each section and document includes succinct and insightful commentary, it is not entirely clear why some documents were chosen. For example, the editors periodically include Jewish responses to antisemitism, such as early Zionist tracts, along with some Christian rejections of anti-Jewish animus, and while an argument can be made for their inclusion, the authors do not explicitly make such a case. This companion to the editors' previous text, Antisemitism: Myth and Hate from Antiquity to the Present (CH, Sep'03, 41-0465), has great potential for class use. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.