Antisemitic publications in France explained

This list of antisemitic publications in France chronologically gathers writings considered or claimed to be antisemitic, produced by French-speaking authors, whether writers or journalists, and published in French territory from the early 19th century to the present day. It should be viewed in the context of the history of antisemitism, a complex history that has been extensively studied since the 1960s.

Undoubtedly, there have been numerous racist publications of antisemitic nature in France, well before the period known as the Vichy government (1941–1944). After the Liberation, antisemitic publications remain rare but do indeed exist.

19th century

In the mid-18th century, a form of skepticism towards Jews emerged in France, for example, under Voltaire's pen in his "Philosophical Dictionary". At the same time, the issue of their emancipation and integration within the nation gained ground. Subsequently, a form of "anti-Judaism" emerged, associated with various conspiracy theories involving Freemasons, Jacobinism, and encyclopedists, among others.

In the last quarter of the 19th century in France, a genuine antisemitism asserted itself, this time linked to the development of the concept of race, conceiving "the Jews"[1] as members of an inferior race.[2]

Furthermore, with certain press outlets seizing upon financial scandals (including the Panama scandals) and the rise of a revanchist anti-German nationalism following the War of 1870, the Dreyfus Affair erupted, creating a rift between residents of France.

In chronological order:

20th century up to WWII

While some anti-Dreyfusards persisted, the WWI erupted. From the 1920s onwards, the concept of Judeo-Bolshevism began to develop. With the rise of Nazism in 1933, it once again divided France into two camps, especially as Hitler left no ambiguity about his intentions towards German Jews.

In chronological order:

1940 to 1944

Starting in July 1940, following the laws regarding the status of Jews, certain French publishing houses began to be "aryanized" (or took the initiative themselves). The Institute for the Study of Jewish Issues was established. Many books were prohibited from publication and withdrawn from sale. The third edition of the list of "undesirable French literary works" (known as the "Otto List," named after Otto Abetz) was published on 10 May 1943, supplemented in an appendix by a list of 739 "Jewish writers in the French language."

Here is the list of publications during this period:

Bibliography

In chronological order of publication:

Notes and References

  1. Around 1885, this word took on a pejorative connotation; historian Ernest Renan preferred the word "Israelite".
  2. Léa Boisaubert, "Stéréotypes et préjugés" in Educational documents (archived) from the Museum of Art and History of Judaism, Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah, 2005.
  3. For a biography (French).
  4. For an online version.
  5. Web site: Scènes et doctrines du nationalisme / Maurice Barrès. Gallica. 2024-07-10.
  6. For a biography.

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