Why the Jews? A Brief Plunge into the History of Antisemitism
The question always comes up in my Holocaust classes. Why did Hitler target the Jews? Why did he want to kill all of them? Why did so many people not only inside of Germany, but outside of Germany as well, collaborate with the Nazis in the murder of the Jews? And why is hatred and violence against Jews continuing today, even happening right here in Pittsburgh? These questions and others are complex and painful questions to tackle. The history of antisemitism has been described as the “longest hatred.” In fact, that’s the name of a film about the history of antisemitism.
Barbara Burstin, PhD is on the history faculty of both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, and is the author of several books including "Steel City Jews," Volumes I and II and a biography of Sophie Masloff. With degrees from Vassar College, Columbia University and the University of Pittsburgh, she has been teaching for over 25 years including a course on the history of Pittsburgh.