A rumor about the jews : reflections on antisemitism and "the protocols of the learned elders of zion"

"The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is among the most infamous documents of antisemitism. A forgery created in Russia by the czarist secret police and quickly translated into a host of languages, it portrayed Judaism as a worldwide conspiracy dedicated to the destruction of Christian civilization. The appearance of the Protocols sparked a number of bloody pogroms and it helped shape the thinking of right-wing movements worldwide from Hitler's Nazis to contemporary antisemitic groups in Russia, the Middle East and the United States. A work of intellectual history, A Rumor About the Jews expresses the connection between antisemitism and the overarching political assault upon the enlightenment legacy taking the reader on a historical journey that provides a new and penetrating understanding of an insidious ideology and its broader implications. Read more... Abstract: "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is among the most infamous documents of antisemitism. A forgery created in Russia by the czarist secret police and quickly translated into a host of languages, it portrayed Judaism as a worldwide conspiracy dedicated to the destruction of Christian civilization. The appearance of the Protocols sparked a number of bloody pogroms and it helped shape the thinking of right-wing movements worldwide from Hitler's Nazis to contemporary antisemitic groups in Russia, the Middle East and the United States. A work of intellectual history, A Rumor About the Jews expresses the connection between antisemitism and the overarching political assault upon the enlightenment legacy taking the reader on a historical journey that provides a new and penetrating understanding of an insidious ideology and its broader implications The Protocols Of The Learned Elders Of Zion Is Among The Most Infamous Documents Of Antisemitism. A Forgery Created In Russia By The Czarist Secret Police And Quickly Translated Into A Host Of Languages, It Portrayed Judaism As A Worldwide Conspiracy Dedicated To The Destruction Of Christian Civilization. The Appearance Of The Protocols Sparked A Number Of Bloody Pogroms And Helped Shape The Thinking Of Right-wing Movements Worldwide, From Hitler's Nazis To Contemporary Antisemitic Groups In Russia, The Middle East, And The United States. A Work Of Intellectual History, A Rumor About The Jews Expresses The Connection Between Antisemitism And The Overarching Political Assault Upon The Enlightenment Legacy And Provides A New And Penetrating Understanding Of An Insidious Ideology And Its Broader Implications.--jacket. 1. Introduction -- 2. Antisemitism For Popular Consumption: Selections From The Protocols Of The Learned Elders Of Zion -- 3. The Text In Context: The Protocols And The Varieties Of Antisemitism -- 4. The Tale Of A Forgery: Inventing The Protocols -- 5. Spreading The News: The Protocols Triumphant -- 6. The Legacy Of A Lie: Contemporary Antisemitism And Its Future. Stephen Eric Bronner. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [155]-169) And Index. "In its portrayal of Judaism as a worldwide conspiracy dedicated to the destruction of Christian civilization, the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion remains one of the most infamous documents ever written. Despite being proven a crude forgery, the pamphlet managed to pervade twentieth-century thinking, often being twisted to suit its handlers' purposes, and to justify the most extreme persecution of the Jews. As recently as 2002, a documentary was aired in Egypt falsely presenting the Protocols as fact -- and the Protocols is still regarded as a historical document in many other parts of the world. In A Rumor About the Jews, Stephen Eric Bronner systematically debunks the antisemitic assertions made in the Protocols. He also explores its history, its influence on right-wing movements throughout the twentieth century, and the ongoing appeal of bigotry. A work of intellectual history, A Rumor About the Jews takes the reader on a historical journey that provides a new and deeper understanding of an insidious ideology and its broader implications. Bronner's sharp and penetrating analysis offers new insights into the nature of antisemitism, along with a warning against underestimating the power of this hateful tract. Book jacket."--BOOK JACKET

"The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is among the most infamous documents of antisemitism. A forgery created in Russia by the czarist secret police and quickly translated into a host of languages, it portrayed Judaism as a worldwide conspiracy dedicated to the destruction of Christian civilization. The appearance of the Protocols sparked a number of bloody pogroms and it helped shape the thinking of right-wing movements worldwide from Hitler's Nazis to contemporary antisemitic groups in Russia, the Middle East and the United States. A work of intellectual history, A Rumor About the Jews by Stephen Eric Bronner expresses the connection between antisemitism and the overarching political assault upon the enlightenment legacy, taking the reader on a historical journey that provides a new and penetrating understanding of an insidious ideology and its broader implications.

"The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion is among the most infamous documents of antisemitism. A forgery created in Russia by the czarist secret police and quickly translated into a host of languages, it portrayed Judaism as a worldwide conspiracy dedicated to the destruction of Christian civilization. The appearance of the Protocols sparked a number of bloody pogroms and helped shape the thinking of right-wing movements worldwide, from Hitler's Nazis to contemporary antisemitic groups in Russia, the Middle East, and the United States. A work of intellectual history, A Rumor about the Jews expresses the connection between antisemitism and the overarching political assault upon the enlightenment legacy and provides a new and penetrating understanding of an insidious ideology and its broader implications."--BOOK JACKET. An examination of the infamous antiSemitic tract "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" describes the history of the antiSemitism ideology and its connection to past and present political attacks on Judaism.