Anti-Semitism and the Russian Revolution

[goalkeeper]

Hey Guys,

I'm trying to find out about anti-semtisim in the russian revolution. While the Bolsheviks were opposed to anti-semitism, due to left over prejudices of the Tsarist era, many workers who supported the Bolsheviks carried out anti-semitic acts. The best example of this is a piece of graffiti Kerensky saw just before the October revolution which read "down with the Jew Kerensky, Long live Trotsky!". This sort of stuff though seems to be knee-jerk anti-semitism and prejudice. There is also the more politicised anti-semitism of the White opposition which saw the revolution as a Jewish conspiracy, which according to Michael Kellog's The Russian Roots of Nazism contributed to the anti-semitic conspiracy theories of the Nazis

So, does anyone have any examples of, or info on, anti-semitism in the Russian revolution?

[Geiseric]

Which is funny because trotsky was hailed as a jew by counter revolutionaries. Lenin's famous filmed speech seen in documentaries and the history channel is actually about the progroms that the czarists were committing. All of the revolutionaries were hardline against anti semitism. Sverdov and Trotsky, sme of the most famous and important revolutionaries, were born jewish. All racist and anti emetic hooliganism or violence was stamped out anywhere the bolsheviks and the red army controlled.

[l'Enfermé]

Kerensky wasn't a Jew. His paternal ancestors were from the Orthodox clergy, his maternal recently freed Slavic serfs on one side and nobility on the other. Both his father's brothers became priests and his father also graduated from an Orthodox theological college.

Trotsky, on the other hand, was an actual ethnic Jew.

[Yuppie Grinder]

The structure of anti-semitism, that conspiratorial thinking, lived on after the revolution. The Jews were replaced by other sorts, though.
I think its inter-related to Bolshevik Puritanism.
The Bolsheviks themselves were vehemently opposed to anti-Semitism. Lenin did say some suspect things about the Bashkir, calling them a weak and backwards people.

[soso17]

anti emetic hooliganism

Pranks that prevent vomiting? :lol:

[PC LOAD LETTER]

Relevant audio recording from Lenin himself,
Just in case any lurkers had any doubts about Lenin et al.

rj7iRwzX-A0

[goalkeeper]

Kerensky wasn't a Jew. His paternal ancestors were from the Orthodox clergy, his maternal recently freed Slavic serfs on one side and nobility on the other. Both his father's brothers became priests and his father also graduated from an Orthodox theological college.

Trotsky, on the other hand, was an actual ethnic Jew.

Yeah, hence why the piece of graffiti is so odd and interesting

[Geiseric]

Well people call obama a muslim AND a black nationalist baptist, so racism is weird.

[Flying Purple People Eater]

Relevant audio recording from Lenin himself,
Just in case any lurkers had any doubts about Lenin et al.

rj7iRwzX-A0
The comments on that video :laugh:

[goalkeeper]

So I'm looking for examples of more politicised anti-semitism from the reactionary forces in the Revolution and civil war. By politicised i mean an anti-semitism that goes beyond a mere blind dislike and hatred of Jews, but places them in some sort of conspiracy. I'm thinking perhaps writings of white army propagandists or perhaps memoirs of reactionaries who survived?