Antisemitism, Europe - Ethnic & Race Relations, Jewish History - Europe - General & Miscellaneous, German History - Religious Aspects, German History - Social Aspects, Jewish Identity
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Overview
The ferocity of the Nazi attack on the Jews took many by surprise. This book tries to explain why. Volkov argues that a new look at both the nature of antisemitism and the complexity of modern Jewish life in Germany is required in order to provide an explanation. While antisemitism had a number of functions in pre-Nazi German society, it most particularly served as a cultural code, a sign of belonging to a particular political and cultural milieu. Surprisingly, it had only a limited effect on the lives of the Jews themselves. Theirs was a remarkable success story. By the end of the nineteenth century, their integration was well advanced. Many of them enjoyed prosperity, prestige, and the pleasures of metropolitan life. This did not necessarily entail an abandonment of Judaism. This book stresses the dialectical nature of assimilation, the lead of the Jews in the processes of modernization, and, finally, their continuous efforts to "invent" a modern Judaism that would fit their new social and cultural positions.Book Details
Published
April 1, 2006
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Pages
326
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780521609593