Ostjudeophobia: press, poor relief, and Jewish communities in Sweden, ca. 1810–1900
2025; Taylor & Francis; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/14725886.2024.2446456
ISSN1472-5894
Autores Tópico(s)Jewish Identity and Society
ResumoIn this study, attitudes towards "Ostjuden" both within Jewish communities in Sweden, focusing on Gothenburg, and the Swedish press are explored through the concept of Ostjudeophobia, coined by the historian Carl Henrik Carlsson, defined as a certain kind of antisemitism directed at Jews from Eastern Europe. Within the communities, negative ideas were expressed by some, while others emphasized the Jewish duty of helping co-religionists. Even though some "Western Jews" held negative views of "Ostjuden," the immigrants received help with poor relief, schooling, and religious matters. I conclude that social distance was a factor in how "Polish Jews" were viewed. Those who met the immigrants through the Jewish poor relief, for example the members of the Women's Association and the Chevra Kadisha in Gothenburg, were more positive towards their co-religionists from the East, while some concern was raised in community meetings and among the leadership about the consequences of the immigration of "Polish Jews". In antisemitic rhetoric in the press, so-called "Polish Jews" were most-often described in a negative light and seen as the worst kind of Jews; reviled for being both Jewish and "Eastern". Ostjudeophobia thus contains prejudices against both Jews and Eastern Europe.
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