Infamous Words

luther2November 8 to 9, 1938 is forever burned into the collective Jewish consciousness. Kristallnacht-the night of broken glass- marked the first official wide-spread attack on the Jews of Germany.

The roots of German anti-Semitism, however, go back centuries. More modern anti-Jewish rhetoric might be traced to Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant movement, whose 500 year anniversary was marked days ago on October 31.

Luther, like many Christian reformers, was not always a rabid anti-Semite. In 1523, Luther accused Catholics of treating Jews like dogs and advised that Jews should be dealt with “gently” and treated with love.  This example of Christian values and Christian life, Luther hoped, would entice Jews to see the light and convert.  Luther saw a bond between Jews and his anti-Catholic movement and hoped this bond would persuade Jews to join this new form of Christianity.

However, some years later, Luther was totally frustrated in his efforts and concluded that it was hopeless to try to convert Jews.  He accepted the theory that God’s promise and protection now belonged to the successor of the Jews, namely Christians.

So, while some of his early writings are hopeful that Jews will see the light and convert to Christianity, this did not happen. Consequently, Luther lost hope and patience.

luther1Finally in 1543 in On the Jews and Their Lies, Luther stated that “A Jewish heart is as hard as a stick, a stone, as iron, as a devil.”  He proposed actions that German states might  take: burning schools and synagogues, transferring Jews to community settlements, confiscating blasphemous Jewish literature and  “not leaving them, one leaf,”, prohibiting rabbis from teaching, denying safe conduct to Jews, forbidding Jews the business of usury and confiscating Jewish wealth, and  making Jews do manual labor as penance.

Does this sound familiar?

The list of words used to describe Jews and their behavior is astonishing: words like  venomous, bitter, vindictive, tricky serpents, assassins and “children of the devil who sting and work harm stealthily wherever they cannot do it openly. “

Again, does this not sound frighteningly familiar?

luther3Words and thinking like this from the 16th century led directly to actions in the 20th century. Julius Streicher, one of the most virulent Nazis, used Luther’s words in his defense at the Nuremberg trials.  We are taught that our words have consequences- remember the story of the child ordered to gather up a pillowful of feathers on a windy day? Words follow us, are remembered, and can never be totally erased from a person’s consciousness.

As the Jewish world commemorates Kristallnacht, we should all be aware of our actions, our attitudes and our words and the effect they have as our words go out into the world, especially in these contentious times when, like centuries and decades ago, entire groups of people are marginalized.

Sources:

Gritsch, Was Luther Anti-Semitic?

Luther, selections from On Jews and Their Lies

Books related to anti-Semitism and Kristallnacht:

Carroll, Constantine’s Sword: the Church and the Jews: a history

Gilbert, Kristallnacht: prelude to destruction

Goldstein, A Convenient Hatred: a history of anti-Semitism

Hayes, Why? Explaining the Holocaust

Salkin, The Gods are Broken!: the hidden legacy of Abraham

Schoenberner, The Yellow Star: the persecution of the Jews in Europe, 1933-1945

Trachtenberg, The Devil and the Jews: the medieval conception of the Jew and its relation to modern anti-Semitism

Wiviott, Benno and the Night of Broken Glass (J)

Wood,  Karski: how one man tried to stop the Holocaust

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One thought on “Infamous Words

  1. I am absolutely transfixed by the information, Aileen and you are so on target about the power of words because words do, in deed, support actions and today, more than ever in my history have I been so astounded, angry, and fearful of the words and actions taking place in the country. The actions of troubled and dangerous individuals dominate our times. We can only bond together with an intent to take opportunities to speak out where we can, when we can. TAKE A STAND AND THROUGH THE POWER OF WORDS we do stand a chance.
    Noa Freudberg

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