Amanda Aussems
Blog Questions
For November
11, 2013 (Monday)
2. JAH pp. 338-339 gives an overview of
life for Jews in the interwar period in Europe, especially in the states newly
created out of the fallen empires (Russian, German, Hapsburg, and Ottoman).
What was the Jewish experience in the new states? Were Jews welcomed into these
nations?
As I
was reading this section of JAH, it really did not come as much of a surprise
to me as to how Jews were treated during the interwar period. As we have seen
throughout history, Jews are continuously being persecuted; whether it is based
on religious differences, cultural differences, or secular practices, Jews, in
my opinion have been used as the chief scapegoats all throughout history.
During the interwar period, new states such as Poland, Lithuania, the Soviet
Union, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia Rumania, Greece and Yugoslavia
emerged. In addition, Rightwing nationalists called for extreme nationalism in which
favored the dominant ethnic, cultural, religious, and language groups of the
country, thus, ostracizing Jews from integration, and once again, being targets
of discrimination. Violence was prominent during the interwar period. In
Poland, for example, 100 pogroms were held in 1919 where, the biggest in which
70 Jews were murdered. These executions also occurred in Hungary and Lithuania.
The worst treatment by far was in the Ukraine. The Jews in the Ukraine were
accused of spying for the Bolsheviks. The peasants then turned on them;
looting, raping, and murdering the Jews.
3. JAH pp. 339-340 surveys Jewish professions
and the rising number of Jews in Europe. What professions did Jews particularly
favor? What kinds of trade did Jews concentrate in?
The professions that were particularly favored by Jews were
concentrated in law and medicine, commerce, finances, and trade. Jews dominated
the secular world and established themselves as strong business activists.
Jews, as compared to their non-Jewish counterparts, overwhelmed the secular
world and had an extremely prominent presence. The proportion of Jews compared
to Gentiles involved in medicine and law were particularly high. For example,
fifty one percent of the lawyers in Budapest were Jewish and in Vienna and
Budapest, sixty three percent of all doctors were Jewish. It would not have
even been uncommon for a non-Jew to have a Jewish doctor. In terms of trade,
Jews were found to be focused in leather goods, textiles, clothing and show
manufacture. One interesting field that Jews became involved in was cosmetics.
The brands “Max Factor” and “Helena Rubenstein” emerged during this time.
Jewish scientists also invented a favorite of today’s society, Nivea skin
cream, in 1911 in Germany. Jews of this time also created department stores
which was considered a commercial marvel.
A - good answers.
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