From the Time of Christ to the Court Jews

Covering the story of prejudice against Jews from the time of Christ through the rise of Nazi Germany, The History of Anti-Semitism presents in elegant and thoughtful language a balanced, careful assessment of this egregious human failing that is nearly ubiquitous in the history of Europe. From the Time of Christ to the Court Jews systematically traces the twists and turns of hatred against Jews as it developed from Roman times to the end of the eighteenth century. Chiefly the history of prejudice against the Ashkenazim, this volume demonstrates that organized anti-Semitism was unknown until the First Crusade, an event that marked the beginning of systematic genocide and mass expulsions in Europe. Jews were accused of countless crimes, from causing the Black Death to practicing ritual murder, and the author attempts throughout to reveal the sociological and psychological forces behind these irrational charges.

Leon Poliakov (1910-97) wrote extensively on the Holocaust and anti-Semitism. His many books include Harvest of Hate: The Nazi Program for the Destruction of Jews in Europe and Aryan Myth: A History of Racist and Nationalist Ideas in Europe. He helped establish the Centre de Documentation Juive in 1943.