A specter haunting Europe : the myth of Judeo-Bolshevism / Paul Hanebrink

“Masterful...An indispensable warning for our own time.” —Samuel Moyn “Magisterial...Covers this dark history with insight and skill...A major intervention into our understanding of 20th-century Europe and the lessons we ought to take away from its history.” —The Nation For much of the last century, Europe was haunted by a threat of its own imagining: Judeo-Bolshevism. The belief that Communism was a Jewish plot to destroy the nations of Europe took hold during the Russian Revolution and quickly spread. During World War II, fears of a Judeo-Bolshevik conspiracy were fanned by the fascists and sparked a genocide. But the myth did not die with the end of Nazi Germany. A Specter Haunting Europe shows that this paranoid fantasy persists today in the toxic politics of revitalized right-wing nationalism. “It is both salutary and depressing to be reminded of how enduring the trope of an exploitative global Jewish conspiracy against pure, humble, and selfless nationalists really is...A century after the end of the first world war, we have, it seems, learned very little.” —Mark Mazower, Financial Times “From the start, the fantasy held that an alien element—the Jews—aimed to subvert the cultural values and national identities of Western societies...The writers, politicians, and shills whose poisonous ideas he exhumes have many contemporary admirers.” —Robert Legvold, Foreign Affairs The first comprehensive account of the evolution and exploitation of the Judeo-Bolshevik myth, from its origins to the present day. For much of the twentieth century, Europe was haunted by a threat of its own imagining: Judeo-Bolshevism. This myththat Communism was a Jewish plot to destroy the nations of Europewas a paranoid fantasy, and yet fears of a Jewish Bolshevik conspiracy took hold during the Russian Revolution and spread across Europe. During World War II, these fears sparked genocide. Paul Hanebrink's history begins with the counterrevolutionary movements that roiled Europe at the end of World War I. Fascists, Nazis, conservative Christians, and other Europeans, terrified by Communism, imagined Jewish Bolsheviks as enemies who crossed borders to subvert order from within and bring destructive ideas from abroad. In the years that followed, Judeo-Bolshevism was an accessible and potent political weapon. After the Holocaust, the specter of Judeo-Bolshevism did not die. Instead, it adapted to, and became a part of, the Cold War world. Transformed yet again, it persists today on both sides of the Atlantic in the toxic politics of revitalized right-wing nationalism. Drawing a worrisome parallel across one hundred years, Hanebrink argues that Europeans and Americans continue to imagine a transnational ethno-religious threat to national ways of life, this time from Muslims rather than Jews. In The 20th Century, Europe Was Haunted By A Specter Of Its Own Imagining: Judeo-bolshevism. Fear Of A Jewish Bolshevik Plot To Destroy The Nations Of Europe Took Hold During The Russian Revolution And Spread Across The Continent. Paul Hanebrink Shows That The Myth Of Ethno-religious Threat Is Still Alive Today, In Westerners' Fear Of Muslims.-- The Idea Of Judeo-bolshevism -- The Greater War -- Refashioned By Nazism -- A Barbarous Enemy -- Under Communist Rule -- From Judeo-bolshevism To Judeo-christian Civilization -- Between History And Memory. Paul Hanebrink. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "In the 20th century, Europe was haunted by a specter of its own imagining: Judeo-Bolshevism. Fear of a Jewish Bolshevik plot to destroy the nations of Europe took hold during the Russian Revolution and spread across the continent. Paul Hanebrink shows that the myth of ethno-religious threat is still alive today, in Westerners' fear of Muslims."-- Provided by publisher Contents Introduction 1. The Idea of Judeo-Bolshevism 2. The Greater War 3. Refashioned by Nazism 4. A Barbarous Enemy 5. Under Communist Rule 6. From Judeo-Bolshevism to Judeo-Christian Civilization 7. Between History and Memory Epilogue Notes Acknowledgments Index