Contemporary Visual Antisemitism in the Czech Republic
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Zbyněk Tarant
Abstract
Despite the last thirty years of political stability and democratic establishment, antisemitism has not fully disappeared from the Czech Republic. This article aims to deepen our understanding of not only the visual symbols and ideological links, but also of the people who create and disseminate these artworks. Having collected and coded visual antisemitica for the last ten years, the author documents the contrast between traditional depictions of Jews in contemporary Czech folklore (or in what is considered ‘tradition’) and the more esoteric symbolism of the conspiracy theories and political extremism. It is argued that, while the mainstream ‘traditional’ depictions of Jews have retained stereotypical features, the extremist scene has moved forward to a more abstract expression, which pushes our methodological and legal definitions of ‘visual antisemitism’ to, and beyond, their limits.
Abstract
Despite the last thirty years of political stability and democratic establishment, antisemitism has not fully disappeared from the Czech Republic. This article aims to deepen our understanding of not only the visual symbols and ideological links, but also of the people who create and disseminate these artworks. Having collected and coded visual antisemitica for the last ten years, the author documents the contrast between traditional depictions of Jews in contemporary Czech folklore (or in what is considered ‘tradition’) and the more esoteric symbolism of the conspiracy theories and political extremism. It is argued that, while the mainstream ‘traditional’ depictions of Jews have retained stereotypical features, the extremist scene has moved forward to a more abstract expression, which pushes our methodological and legal definitions of ‘visual antisemitism’ to, and beyond, their limits.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Table of Contents v
- Introduction vii
- The Metamorphoses of the Judensau 1
- Imagining Ritual Murder: Social Knowledge in the Making 35
- Spa Antisemitism in Bohemia and Moravia 59
- Jews Out of Place? Place and Space in Czech Antisemitic Caricatures 99
- Simple Entertainment? Die Muskete and ‘Weak’ Antisemitism in Interwar Vienna 123
- Faithful to Tradition: Visual Depictions of Antisemitism in Humoristické listy in the 1920s and 1930s 145
- Antisemitic Caricatures in the Protectorate Press (1939–1945) and their Authors 171
- Polish Jews in the Visual Reporting of the Propaganda Companies 203
- Visual Depictions of Antisemitism in the Czech Lands after World War II 221
- Contemporary Visual Antisemitism in the Czech Republic 251
- Refugees ‘as Jews’. Travelling Images of Atrocities 271
- Index of Names 285
- List of Contributors 289
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Table of Contents v
- Introduction vii
- The Metamorphoses of the Judensau 1
- Imagining Ritual Murder: Social Knowledge in the Making 35
- Spa Antisemitism in Bohemia and Moravia 59
- Jews Out of Place? Place and Space in Czech Antisemitic Caricatures 99
- Simple Entertainment? Die Muskete and ‘Weak’ Antisemitism in Interwar Vienna 123
- Faithful to Tradition: Visual Depictions of Antisemitism in Humoristické listy in the 1920s and 1930s 145
- Antisemitic Caricatures in the Protectorate Press (1939–1945) and their Authors 171
- Polish Jews in the Visual Reporting of the Propaganda Companies 203
- Visual Depictions of Antisemitism in the Czech Lands after World War II 221
- Contemporary Visual Antisemitism in the Czech Republic 251
- Refugees ‘as Jews’. Travelling Images of Atrocities 271
- Index of Names 285
- List of Contributors 289
