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Philosemitismus - was ist das? Eine kritische Bergriffsanalyse
Translated Title: Philosemitism - what is it? A critical conceptual analysis
Author(s): Kinzig, Wolfram
Editor(s): Diekmann, Irene A.; Kotowski, Elke-Vera
Date: 2009
Topics: Main Topic: Antisemitism, Attitudes to Jews, Antisemitism, Philosemitism
Philo-Semitic Civilisationism or Anti-Semitic Nationalism? The Ambivalent Stance of the Alternative for Germany Towards Judaism, Jews, and Israel
Author(s): Selent, Maximilian; Kortmann, Matthias
Date: 2023
Topics: Antisemitism: Far right, Attitudes to Israel, Attitudes to Jews, Main Topic: Antisemitism, Philosemitism, Politics
Abstract: This article follows up on assumptions of Rogers Brubaker and Benjamin Moffitt, according to whom, some Western and Northern European right-wing populist parties use ‘civilisationist’ and liberal-illiberal narratives that are, for instance, characterised by a ‘philo-Semitic stance’. The paper analyses to what extent the German right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) fits into this concept, considering the party’s ambivalent attitude towards Judaism, Jews, and Israel. Using qualitative content analysis, the study is based on an examination of AfD electoral manifestos and parliamentary documents from the federal level as well as from states such as Berlin, Baden-Württemberg, and Thuringia between 2014 and 2019. Our results reveal differences that range from open anti-Semitic statements to self-definitions as a ‘pro-Jewish’ party. We argue that different positions can be explained by regionally divergent discursive opportunity structures as well as personnel heterogeneity across the party sections under study. Furthermore, we reason that a combination of anti-Semitic and pro-Jewish/Israeli statements fits into the AfD’s strategy of addressing both voters from the radical right with anti-Semitic prejudices and more moderate, conservative voters that reject open hostility towards Jews and Israel. We conclude that the AfD fulfils Brubaker’s and Moffitt’s concepts only to a rather limited extent.
Wither Philosemitic Europe? Antisemitism after the “Golden Era”
Author(s): Cohen, G. Daniel
Editor(s): Feldman, David; Volovici, Marc
Date: 2023
Topics: Antisemitism, Antisemitism: Left-Wing, Main Topic: Antisemitism, Philosemitism, Politics
Abstract: The defeat of the Labour Party in the 2019 general election in Britain has put to rest the tumultuous “Corbyn Affair” (2015–2019). Whether Labour under Corbyn has been “overrun by anti-Semitism or other forms of racism” or, in the words of the Chakrabarti report, polluted by an “occasionally toxic atmosphere” has been hotly debated. Yet the “affair” above all symbolized the crisis of Europe’s postwar philosemitism: the official repudiation and reprobation of antisemitism in mainstream politics; a shift from enmity to partnership in Christian approaches to Judaism; the rise of a positive image of the Jews as symbol of conservative values or post-national European cosmopolitanism; the duty of Shoah remembrance and official atonement; and despite the rise of virulent anti-Zionism in Europe since 1967, the containment of anti-Israeli criticism within the framework of a two-state solution. Hostility toward Jews, to be sure, never disappeared, but philosemitism broadly conceived has redefined the relationship between contemporary Europe and its Jews. The “Corbyn Affair” challenged the terms of this postwar history: the controversy indeed signaled the possible end of Europe’s postwar philosemitic moment.
Between Boundary Making and Philosemitic Yearning in Contemporary Germany
Author(s): Tzuberi, Hannah
Editor(s): Monterescu, Daniel; Werczberger, Rachel
Date: 2022
Topics: Jewish Revival, Post-1989, Main Topic: Identity and Community, Philosemitism, Jewish Community, Boundaries
Klassismus und Philosemitismus, oder warum es bisher keine jüdischen Hauptschulen gibt
Translated Title: Classism and philo-Semitism, or why there are no Jewish secondary schools
Author(s): Kranz, Dani
Editor(s): Seng, Sebastian; Rezene, Dyana; Drücker, Ansgar
Date: 2022
Topics: Class, Philosemitism, Main Topic: Education, Jewish Schools, Schools: Seconday / High Schools
Antisemitismus, Antizionismus und Ausnahmen: positive Bezüge auf Israel und Zionismus von rechts in historischer Perspektive
Translated Title: Anti-Semitism, Anti-Zionism and Exceptions: Positive References to Israel and Zionism from the Right in Historical Perspective
Author(s): Schreiter, Nikolai
Date: 2022
Topics: Main Topic: Antisemitism, Antisemitism: Far right, Anti-Zionism, Philosemitism, Zionism
Abstract: This article analyzes the turn towards Israel in parts of the German and Austrian extreme right since 2010 in a historical perspective. Both political parties in the focus of the analysis, AfD and FPÖ, and the extreme right in general have a history of antisemitism, antizionism and hostility towards Israel and Zionism. After establishing antizionism as an inherent part of antisemitism almost from its outset, several exceptions from this rule are analyzed with respect to the relationship of the two. All of the introduced positive references towards Zionism and Israel from an antisemitic background will turn out to be based on antisemitic images of Jews, Zionism and the State of Israel. They fulfill a certain end to antisemitism itself, its denial and its bearers, and thus serve the preservation of the ideology rather than, as has been suggested, marking an end to antisemitism or being solely strategically motivated.
Philosemitism in contemporary German media
Author(s): Dekel, Irit
Date: 2022
Topics: Philosemitism, Media, Main Topic: Other, Attitudes to Jews, Jewish - Non - Jewish Relations
Abstract: This article examines the performance of philosemitism in contemporary Germany through media representations of Jews in 2014–2020. It claims that philosemitism is practiced in Germany as a routine accomplishment of civility. It is performed in three interconnected social domains: institutional, where state institutions declare their commitment to protecting Jews as a religious minority; group, where the contingent relations between love for the Jews and exclusionary statements about them appears, mostly in casting Jews as both strange and unknown and embraced; and individual, where individuals exhibit positive sentiments toward Jews as an ideal collective, while contemplating what and who they are. It further suggests that in performing philosemitism German society examines and articulates its relations to Holocaust memory, to minorities and to the resilience of the German democracy.
Jerusalem in the North Atlantic: The Land and State of Israel from a Faroese Perspective
Author(s): Gaini, Firouz
Editor(s): Adams, Jonathan; Hess, Cordelia
Date: 2019
Topics: Israel Advocacy, Jewish - Christian Relations, Main Topic: Other, Philosemitism
Abstract: In this paper I ask why a predominantly Evangelical Lutheran North Atlantic society has given Jews and Israel such a central position and role in local and national discussions on religion and politics, culture and society. How do current societal changes in the Faroes, associated with newfound cultural diversity and religious hybridity, affect the special Faroese-Israeli connection? This paper, based on a selection of written media and literary accounts as sources of information, focuses on the period since the end of the twentieth century, but links this period to the whole post-Second World War era in some of its discussions. While the Faroes might be less secular than other Nordic countries, we can see that its religious and cultural identities are dynamic, adapting to new societal premises, and rekindling Faroe Islanders’ passion for Jerusalem.
Playing with Jews in the Fields of Nations: Symbolic Contests in the Former Yugoslavia
Author(s): Gordiejew, P. B.
Date: 2006
Topics: Antisemitism, Main Topic: Other, Post-1989, National Identity, Nationalism, Philosemitism
Abstract: The collapse of socialist Yugoslavia and the rise of independent states in its place brought out interesting and disturbing phenomena involving Jews and Jewish symbols. This paper examines the following processes: 1) the loss of Jewish submergence in the political and symbolic orders of that socialist state; 2) a short-lived philosemitism; 3) an appropriation or ‘functionalization’ of Jews and Jewish symbols in contests over the moral superiority of one's nation; and 4) the return of classic anti-Semitism aimed at local Jewish places and individuals and at spreading ideas of Jewish political and cultural domination. Also described is how Jews engaged in welcoming or contesting encroachment on their own symbolic space.
Anti-antisemitischer Enthusiasmus und selektiver Philo-semitismus. Geert Wilders, die PVV und die Juden
Translated Title: Anti-anti-Semitic enthusiasm and selective philosemitism. Geert Wilders, the PVV and the Jews
Author(s): Gans, Evelien
Date: 2014
Topics: Main Topic: Antisemitism, Philosemitism, Islamophobia, Politics
Der Feind kommt aus dem Morgenland. Rechtspopulistische "Islamkritiker" um den Publizisten Hans-Peter Raddatz suchen die Opfergemeinschaft mit Juden
Translated Title: The enemy comes from the Orient. Right-wing populist "Islamic critics" around the publicist Hans-Peter Raddatz are looking for a community of victims with Jews
Author(s): Widmann, Peter
Date: 2008
Topics: Main Topic: Other, Antisemitism: Far right, Attitudes to Jews, Islamophobia, Philosemitism, Politics
Good Jews. Philosemitism in Post-Holocaust Europe
Author(s): Cohen, G. Daniel
Date: 2020
Topics: Antisemitism, Philosemitism, Jewish - Christian Relations, Jewish - Non - Jewish Relations, Attitudes to Jews, Main Topic: Other, Post-War Jewish History, Post-1989
Abstract: While the liberation of Europe in 1945 did not result in the end of antisemitism, Jews, Judaism, and Jewishness acquired new value in the aftermath of the Shoah. In democratic Europe, the Jew became at the very least the “enemy that we now must love”. Like antisemitism, European philosemitic discourse mutated over time. To counteract the image of the Jewish enemy, secular and Christian philosemites imagined various types of loveable “good Jews”. This newfound sympathy was not devoid of ambiguities. Philosemitism, broadly conceived as positive discourse on Jews, can indeed easily recycle antisemitic themes, recreate Jewish otherness, or strategically compensate for Holocaust guilt. However, while the Israeli or cosmopolitan Jew continues to fuel antisemitic paranoia, post-Holocaust ‘philosemitism’ has redefined the relationship between contemporary Europe and its Jews.
The New Philosemitism: Exploring a Changing Relationship Between Jews and the Far-Right
Author(s): Rose, Hannah
Date: 2020
Topics: Antisemitism, Antisemitism: Far right, Philosemitism, Racism, Main Topic: Antisemitism, Islamophobia
Abstract: This report views emerging cooperation and changing attitudes of the populist radical right towards Jews as a new wave of Philosemitism.

This new wave of Philosemitism is not a genuine and sincere positioning, but a strategic tool used by the far‑right in order to present itself as liberal and mainstream, gain support and engage in a ‘divide and conquer’ tactic among minority communities.
Genealogies of ‘Jews’ and ‘Muslims’: social imaginaries in the race–religion nexus
Author(s): Jansen, Yolanda; Meer, Nasar
Date: 2020
Topics: Antisemitism, Antisemitism: Muslim, Islamophobia, Jewish - Muslim Relations, Philosemitism, Main Topic: Other
Abstract: Introduction to the special issue: Genealogies of ‘Jews’ and ‘Muslims’: Social Imaginaries in the Race–Religion Nexus
Anti-Antisemitic Enthusiasm & Selective Philosemitism: Geert Wilders, the PVV and the Jews
Author(s): Gans, Evelien
Date: 2014
Topics: Main Topic: Antisemitism, Antisemitism, Philosemitism, Antisemitism: Far right
Philosemitism as a resolution of congnitive dissonance? The case of post-communist Hungary
Author(s): Kovács, András
Editor(s): Diekmann, Irene A.; Kotowski, Elke-Vera
Date: 2009
Topics: Main Topic: Antisemitism, Attitudes to Jews, Post-1989, Antisemitism, Antisemitism: Attitude Surveys, Philosemitism
Abstract: Philosemitism in modern Hungary thus has two typical manifestations or versions. In the first version, an inclination to stereotype and – evidently in the higher status social groups which are overrepresented in the philosemitic group – to perceive “Jews” as a rival social group are placed within a framework by the (unprocessed) memory of the persecution of Jews, a left-wing/liberal worldview, and – given that it is a group that is aware of and adheres
to norms – an acceptance of the philosemitic (or at least non-antisemitic) consensus of norms in the public realm. In such a context, the expression of attitudes relating to Jews is well served by the clichés which arose during the era of assimilation and are still fostered by both Jews and non-Jews concerning the beneficial role of Jews and their contribution to the country.

The other group of philosemites, however, is clearly characterised by allotic attitudes. This form of philosemitism is extremely fragile: the opinions and attitudes expressed by such philosemitism can be accommodated – sometimes without any modification or contradiction – in the context of political antisemitism.
The Klezmer Revival in Poland as a Contact Zone
Author(s): Waligórska, Magdalena
Date: 2020
Topics: Jewish Music, Main Topic: Culture and Heritage, Klezmer, Antisemitism, Jewish Heritage, Jewish Culture, Attitudes to Jews, Jewish Revival, Philosemitism
Abstract: This chapter analyzes the general phenomenon of the revival of klezmer. It explains the klezmer revival as the most visible and controversial aspects of the popular surge of interest in the Jewish past, traditions, and heritage that unfolded over the last two decades in post-Holocaust and post-communist eastern Europe. It also mentions the various scholars that labelled the klezmer revival in different degrees of scepticism, such as “Jewish space,” “virtual Jewishness,” “redemptive cosmopolitanism,” or “post-Jewish culture.” The chapter discusses the Jewish heritage revival in Poland that addresses the lack of spiritual intensity in modern society. It notes the new surge of philosemitism in Polish cultural production that is merely a new incarnation of antisemitism and has a harmful or violent aspect.