Racism

While visiting The Radical, Cultural Jewish Museum in Berlin, of the many items on display, my eyes were most drawn to simple writings on a bare, white wall....trailing from one room to the next. It was documenting the earliest anti-Semitic comments in Germany.

Often times, I am asked by other cultures how come Jews are good with money? The question always puzzled me, primarily because I had no idea my tribesmen were seen that way, and why is it? Well, thanks to the insightful museum, I discovered that during the Reich, Jews were not allowed to enter many professions. They couldn't be craftsmen or traders. The church had views on Christians charging interest on loaned money. My tribesmen, at that time, having nothing to do with the Church, began loaning money and charging interest. Is this where our reputation regarding money began? Perhaps.
Then again, what is one supposed to do to earn a living when the government in power segregates job opportunities for some?
Weird thing is that Middle Age Germany was a Jewish Germany, with Jews being the first settlers. Go figure.

Though the museum did have many interesting findings on Jewish Germans and their long journey, I was drawn to the bare white walls with the most unusual sentences, by some famous Germans...
I will recount them and leave you to ponder some of these lines and ask yourself, how is it even possible to say those words out loud and would you catch yourself saying those same words about another religion or culture?

1798- They are nowadays the vampires of society-Immanuel Kant, Philosopher

1803- Karl Grattenauer, legal scholar, demands a yellow tag on the clothing of Jews.

1816- Friedrich Christian Ruhs, historian, demands new laws to protect Christians from the Jews.

1819- Croak Jew, Croak! Anti-Jewish rioting throughout Germany.

1838- The power of the money lies in the hands of the Jews-Catholic Newspaper

1848- The Jew does not work and lives better than we do, so away with the vermin. Poster in Minden.

1850- Richard Wagner, composer, cries out against the Jew-ification of modern art.

1860- Something foreign to us of an unpleasant nature. August Lamey, Politician in Baden

1860- Official dictionary refers to the "Semitic race of Jews"

1897- Jew-free resort.

1901- No Jews, please. Hotel Kolnischer Hof, Frankfurt

1902- The social isolation of the Jewish student has been accomplished. Association of German Students.

1913- A memorandum addressed to the Crown Prince demands that Jews pay double the taxes of Germans.

I stopped collecting the rest of the anti-Semitic words, as it became more and more transparent what would become the fate and future of Jews in Germany and Europe.