Antisemitism

by Hermann Bahr, James J. Conway (Translator)

In 1883, Austrian author Hermann Bahr was arrested for antisemitic abuse. Ten years later, he was a champion of the Viennese avant-garde and its numerous Jewish exponents, and would soon marry a Jewish actress. In Antisemitism Bahr makes the political personal (and vice versa) using the then-novel form of the interview for a sweeping international survey of the most contentious issue of his day. His respondents are economists and anarchists, preachers and political grandees from across Europe, with such figures as activist Annie Besant, novelist Alphonse Daudet, polymath Ernst Haeckel and trailblazing socialist August Bebel. Now available in English for the first time, this hugely important document was originally published in 1894, and it captures the moment when an ancient enmity assumed new force, the age of the Dreyfus Affair and Germany’s pre-Nazi peak in politicised race hate. Antisemitism is no echo chamber, with some respondents offering robust defence of prejudices that would have harrowing consequences in the 20th century. But with its conspiracy theories, babbling demagogues and demonised minorities, Bahr’s investigation is sadly all too relevant today.

Genres: Nonfiction

243 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1894

About the author

Born and raised in Linz, Bahr studied in Vienna, Graz, Czernowitz and Berlin, devoting special attention to philosophy, political economy, philology and law. During a prolonged stay in Paris, he discovered his interest in literature and art. He began working as an art critic, first in Berlin, then in Vienna: In 1890 he became associate editor of Berliner Freie Bühne (“Berlin Free Stage”), and later became associate editor and critic of the Deutsche Zeitung (“German Newspaper”). In 1894 he began publication of Die Zeit (“The Times”), and was also editor of the Neue Wiener Tagblatt (“New Vienna Daily Flyer”) and the Oesterreichische Volkszeitung (“Austrian Popular Newspaper”).

From 1906-1907, he worked as a director with Max Reinhardt at the German Theater (German: Deutsches Theater) in Berlin, and starting in 1918 he was a Dramaturg with the Vienna Burgtheater.

Spokesman for the literary group Young Vienna, Bahr was an active member of the Austrian avant-garde, producing both criticism and Impressionist plays. Bahr's association with the coffeehouse literati made him one of the main targets of Karl Kraus's newspaper Die Fackel (The Torch) after Kraus's falling out with the group.

Bahr was the first critic to apply the label modernism to literary works, and was an early observer of the Expressionism movement. His theoretical papers were important in the definition of new literary categories. His 40 plays and around 10 novels never reached the quality of his theoretical work. He died, aged 70, in Munich.

(via Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Lance Grabmiller · Rating 2 out of 5]

A series of interviews about antisemitism conducted in the 1890s. Most interviews are proceeded by a brief biographical sketch and often a narrative of the location of the meeting, and most run between 3 and 6 pages. The majority of interviewees are German and French, from all sorts of political and intellectual backgrounds, but there area handful from all over Europe. Most are against antisemitism, though many with other quirks or prejudices peaking through the responses. There are copious references to politics and people of the day which are completely unknown to most people who may pick this up. There are copious notes provided to explain these references, but it is annoying having to refer to them several times a page. This would have been somewhat alleviated if they were footnotes, but the small size of the book and the endless need for these notes might have been havoc to formatting. Fascinating, but ultimately seems like something more interesting for a specialist rather than a lay reader.

[Bill Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of interviews from 1893 of prominent men and a couple of women answering the question: "what is your opinion of antisemitism?" The vast majority of respondents condemn antisemitism but their answers are illuminating about the attitudes of fin de siècle Europe not only toward the Jews but also concerning nationalism, capitalism, sexism, and other issues that defined the era and much of the history that has followed it. Bravo for another illuminating Rixdorf edition!

[Episodenfisch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spannendes Dokument aus dem Jahr 1893: Bahr reist durch Europa und befragt insgesamt 38 Schriftsteller und Politiker über den aufkommenden Antisemitismus. Am charmantesten ist dabei John Henry Mackay: „Sag’ du den Antisemiten, daß sie schlechte Nationalökonomen und überhaupt Esel sind. Das ist meine Meinung. Sonst wüßte ich in dieser Frage nichts zu bemerken."
Wie alle anderen kritischen Schriften Bahrs gibts das Buch hier als kostenloses PDF: http://www.univie.ac.at/bahr/