Anti-Semitism in 19th Century France

Although European anti-Semitism is generally thought of as an ordeal contained to the 1930s and 40s and Nazi Germany, anti-Semitism was prominent in Europe far before the Third Reich, especially during the Enlightenment and the 19th century. The Enlightenment originally allowed for a decrease in anti-Semitism due to the shift of emphasis on religion to human reason. But, as time passed, the new practice of rationalism and reason gave ways to other ways of persecuting …

…showed the attitude of the French to Jewish people. There is no doubt that anti-Semitism was behind this ordeal, which took twelve years to resolve. The French media displayed the vicious hatred of Jews by the French. The strong sense of French nationalism contributed to the persecution of Jews, who the French saw as a weird and inferior people. Prejudice against Jews was a very common and widespread practice throughout France during the 19th century.