Persecution Perpetuated: The Medieval Origins of Anti-Semitic Violence in Nazi Germany
Quarterly Journal of Economics 2012, 127(3): 1339-1392
48 Pages Posted: 27 Apr 2011 Last revised: 11 Oct 2012
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Persecution Perpetuated: The Medieval Origins of Anti-Semitic Violence in Nazi Germany
Persecution Perpetuated: The Medieval Origins of Anti-Semitic Violence in Nazi Germany
Date Written: February 10, 2012
Abstract
How persistent are cultural traits? Using data on anti-Semitism in Germany, we find local continuity over 600 years. Jews were often blamed when the Black Death killed at least a third of Europe’s population during 1348–50. We use plague-era pogroms as an indicator for medieval anti-Semitism. They reliably predict violence against Jews in the 1920s, votes for the Nazi Party, deportations after 1933, attacks on synagogues, and letters to Der Stürmer. We also identify areas where persistence was lower: cities with high levels of trade or immigration. Finally, we show that our results are not driven by political extremism or by different attitudes toward violence.
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