FPL12152 – Rising Anti-Semitism in Europe: Is History Repeating Itself Once Again?

From the immigrant enclaves of the Parisian suburbs to the drizzly bureaucratic city of Brussels to the industrial heartland of Germany, EuropeÕs old demon, anti-Semitism, has returned coming out of the shadows. Numerous anti-Semitic attacks have raised the alarm about how Europe is changing and whether it remains a safe place for Jews. How often do incidents of anti-Semitic violence occur in contemporary Europe, and what trends are developing? How are European leaders reacting? These are some of the questions this lecture intends to address. Particular attention will focus on Germany since nowhere in Europe has the postwar imperative to fight anti-Semitism been more complete or more intertwined with national redemption.Ê