One Survivor Remembers: Antisemitism

Objectives

• Students will learn about antisemitism
• Students will learn about propaganda and stereotypes
• Students will make connections to current-day antisemitism, racism, prejudice and bigotry

Time and Materials

• One class period (with a possible homework exercise)
• Handout for definitions of "antisemitism" and other key words
• Worksheets with examples of antisemitic messages (Teachers also may gather, in advance, current media examples that employ stereotypes)

Context Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party used virulent antisemitism in their campaign of genocide against the Jews. Antisemitic laws, violence and propaganda preceded the Holocaust. Some have called antisemitism "the longest hatred," tracing its roots more than 2,000 years. This lesson focuses on the rise of Nazism in pre-World War II Europe; keep in mind, though, that prior to this period, Jews were fully integrated into German society.

Antisemitism can take many forms: religiously based discrimination, targeting Jews for their religious beliefs; politically driven hatred or discrimination, targeting Jews regarding political issues; ethnically or culturally based hostility, targeting Jews regarding heritage or culture; and the perpetuation of stereotypes based on economic or other factors, tied to bigoted images of Jews being "greedy," for example. Antisemitism employs venom, power and prejudice similar to racism and other forms of bigotry.

Although it's easy to see antisemitism in pre-war Germany, it also existed in the United States. A 1939 public opinion poll, for example, found 53 percent of Americans thought Jews were "different" and should be "restricted." Jews in America have faced numerous forms of discrimination.

Still, the ideals of the United States were first articulated in a letter by President George Washington to the synagogue at Newport, Rhode Island, in 1790:

"... for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should [conduct] themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support."
—George Washington
Letter to Newport Hebrew Congregation

Antisemitism persists today. Examples abound. Consider one: There is a book, "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," which is known to be a forgery. It claims there is an international Jewish conspiracy to take over the world. Despite the fact there is no such conspiracy, copies of the book continue to sell in many places throughout the world. Why do such falsehoods endure?

Step 1
Go over the definitions of the following words: antisemitism, discrimination, propaganda, racism and stereotype. (See handout.)

Step 2
Have students discuss how antisemitism set the stage for genocide in World War II, drawing information from the film and related course materials. (Use Michael Berenbaum's Holocaust timeline in the "One Survivor Remembers" Resource Booklet as a supplement to this exercise.)

Also discuss how antisemitism and other forms of bigotry persist today, using examples from the school, community, state, nation and world. As a starting point, have students consider how specific groups — Asian Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, Arab Americans, Muslims, immigrants, people with disabilities, etc. — are portrayed in the media, discussing the damage done by stereotypes.

Step 3
Hand out the worksheets and have students write about or discuss the specific examples of antisemitic propaganda. This may be done as a small-group exercise in class or as an individual homework assignment.

Extending the Lesson (Optional)
Have students examine magazines, newspaper, websites and other materials for images that include stereotypes. Then ask students, individually or in groups, to deconstruct these images following the model used in this exercise.