European Jewish Community Without World Wars

  • Thread starter Deleted member 1487
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Deleted member 1487

What would happen to the Jewish community of Europe without the world wars? The Dreyfus affair created the Zionist movement, but without the world wars there wouldn't have been the Holocaust (obviously) or the Judenzahlung, which alienated a large number of German Jews. Would the community have assimilated, or would other events have kept the community distinct from the general populace?
 
I suspect that Jews would have continued assimilating somewhat apace. They'd likely stay somewhat apart, but it would be more like the Jewish neighborhoods in the United States: yes, you're Jewish; yes, people will sometimes hold that against you; but on the whole you're just another German/Pole/Russian.
 
I suspect that Jews would have continued assimilating somewhat apace. They'd likely stay somewhat apart, but it would be more like the Jewish neighborhoods in the United States: yes, you're Jewish; yes, people will sometimes hold that against you; but on the whole you're just another German/Pole/Russian.

Wasn't there a rather strong current trend of violent antisemitism in Late Tsarist Russia?
 
Wasn't there a rather strong current trend of violent antisemitism in Late Tsarist Russia?

Yes, there was indeed. I am, however, of the opinion that Tsarist Russia would have fallen to some sort of popular revolt sooner rather than later even without the war, and considering that, uh, most of the popular revolutionary movements were mostly organized by Jews, the new government would have been more tolerant. Stalin was a blip in an otherwise very neutral-towards-Judaism Communist Party (obviously a large, horrifying blip, but it's difficult to predict these things)
 
Yes, there was indeed. I am, however, of the opinion that Tsarist Russia would have fallen to some sort of popular revolt sooner rather than later even without the war, and considering that, uh, most of the popular revolutionary movements were mostly organized by Jews, the new government would have been more tolerant. Stalin was a blip in an otherwise very neutral-towards-Judaism Communist Party (obviously a large, horrifying blip, but it's difficult to predict these things)

Without WW1, there would not be a violent revolution and civil war in Russia (riots and general unrest, yes; probably a kind of popular-forced "regime change", but no communist revolution).

As to Russian antisemitism, it was to a big part government supported as a vent for the popular anger (beating up convenient scapegoats reduces the pressure for genuine reforms). The pogroms of early 1900s resulted in a large number of refugees going wherever they could - many went to USA, also a large amount fled to Germany. While they were grudgingly tolerated, they were considered as "unwashed easterners" and treated with suspicion - after all these guys spoke some gibberish, dressed funnily and kept to themselves. :rolleyes: Even (or especially) German Jews made an effort to distance themselves from the "Ostjuden". Without WW1, the prejudices against them will linger (on the level of OTL anti-turkish prejudices or worse).
 
Even (or especially) German Jews made an effort to distance themselves from the "Ostjuden". Without WW1, the prejudices against them will linger (on the level of OTL anti-turkish prejudices or worse).

That is a very important point. As paradoxical as it sounds the horror of the Holocaust did a lot to binding the various Jewish communities together it away that simply wasn't there before 1900. The Ostjuden were if anything treated worse by German Jews than by ordinary Germans up to and including barring them from entering established Synagogue and Jewish organisations.
It took Auschwitz and Israel for world Jewish community to really come together again.
 
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