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everyone!
It is nice to talk to you all again, my friends. Today, let's take a short look at the history of the Jewish Diaspora, and various pre-Holocaust purges and pogroms.
(History Thread)
everyone!It is nice to talk to you all again, my friends. Today, let's take a short look at the history of the Jewish Diaspora, and various pre-Holocaust purges and pogroms.
(History Thread)
Focusing only on Europe in the late medieval to early renaissance periods, entire libraries can be filled with books on all of the persecution that the Jewish people were subject to. For example, a large part of the Spanish Inquisition was directed at purging Jews.
In the interest of brevity, I will focus on two instances, but, they are indicative of what many Jewish people suffered throughout the period.
It is a little-known fact that in 1290, all Jewish people were expelled from England. This is known as the Edict of Expulsion.
It is a little-known fact that in 1290, all Jewish people were expelled from England. This is known as the Edict of Expulsion.
The Edict was really a culmination of at least a century of persecution of Jews. In 1218, by Royal Decree, Jewish people were forced to wear badges on their clothing, in a dark preview of the Holocaust. By 1290 the stage was set for full Expulsion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edict_of_Expulsion
In reality, the Expulsion effectively removed thousands of Jewish people from England, many fleeing to Scotland, France, Spain, and Poland.
Jews were not allowed to return officially until 1655, however, in practical terms, some Jewish outposts began to reemerge in the 1300s.
Jews were not allowed to return officially until 1655, however, in practical terms, some Jewish outposts began to reemerge in the 1300s.
Another dark preview of the Holocaust came during the Black Death, when Jews were routinely blamed for the plague, in particular, let's look at some cases in what is modern-day Germany:
Specifically between 1348-1349, the persecutions were quite bad.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2841&context=facpub
Specifically between 1348-1349, the persecutions were quite bad.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2841&context=facpub
Rumors began spreading of a Jewish "Immunity" to the plague, which led to the conspiracy that the Jewish were cursing the Christian populations. Pope Clement VI attempted to protect the Jews, but, this was largely ineffective due to massive corruption in the Church,
as well as political in-fighting. This was during the era when the Pope was installed not in Rome, but, Avignon, France. And the political turmoil both in the Church and in secular politics made the actions almost entirely impotent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Jews_during_the_Black_Death
Jewish people were massacred all over Europe. But, arguably the worst was in Rhineland, Germany. An entire town of about 3,000 Jews was killed, and their bodies packed in barrels and cast into the river Rhine. And this was only one single incidence of many.
However, the history of the Jewish people in Europe is not all terror and death. The Hebrew people have shown a remarkable resilience in maintaining their culture and religion.
Some may even call their resilience "Miraculous."
Some may even call their resilience "Miraculous."
One of my favorite leaders in medieval Europe was Bolesław the Pious of Poland. He guaranteed freedom of religion and full rights for the Jewish with the Statute of Kalisz in 1264. This was completely unprecedented in Europe, as it gave Jews the same legal rights as others.
Some more cynical interpretations of history do attribute the Statute of Kalisz to the need for cheap immigrant labor in Poland at the time. But, personally, I say let's just give the humanitarian win to Bolesław, shall we? It was an incredibly progressive step.
Poland was not the only refuge for Jewish people at the time, though. Even many Jews don't know this, but, there have been Jewish Communities in Kaifeng, and Zhengzhou, Henan, China, for more than 1,000 years. Maybe. We actually don't have records of when they arrived.
But, it was around 900-1200 CE, or AD, if you prefer that.
There are monuments to the Jewish communities, and to the Song Dynasty for welcoming them in both Kaifeng (they pronounce it kai-phone) and Zhengzhou (jeng-jo) to this day.
I've been there and seen them myself.
There are monuments to the Jewish communities, and to the Song Dynasty for welcoming them in both Kaifeng (they pronounce it kai-phone) and Zhengzhou (jeng-jo) to this day.
I've been there and seen them myself.
Today, there are about 1,000 Kaifeng residents who still identify as Jewish. And perhaps 1,500 in Zhengzhou or so, and these communities have been stable for about 1,000 years, despite what wikipedia says here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaifeng_Jews
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaifeng_Jews
No one really has the slightest idea of how or when the Kaifeng Jews actually got there. My personal theory is that Aardvark Space Wizards transported them there.
But, it is again yet another testament to the resilience of the Jewish people.
But, it is again yet another testament to the resilience of the Jewish people.
Despite conspiracy theories, the vast majority of Jewish people in history were downtrodden, working- or middle-class. Think more Fiddler On the Roof than antisemitic nonsense you hear.
