The Damascus Affair
'Ritual Murder', Politics, and the Jews in 1840
- Author: Jonathan Frankel, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Date Published: April 1997
- availability: Available
- format: Paperback
- isbn: 9780521483964
Paperback
Other available formats:
Hardback
Looking for an inspection copy?
This title is not currently available on inspection
-
In February 1840, an Italian monk and his servant disappeared in Damascus. Many Jews in that city were charged with ritual murder and tortured until they confessed. The case turned into a cause célèbre across much of the western world, even becoming a factor in the major diplomatic conflicts of the period, and produced an explosion of polemics, fantastic theories, and strange projects. The religious revival and romanticism of the period provided fertile soil for every speculation. This 1997 book, the first since 1840 to analyse the affair, assesses the Damascus affair as a factor in European and Jewish politics of the time, as a chapter in Jewish history and historiography, and as the stuff of radically conflicting myths - myths which eventually fed into the Holocaust and the establishment of the state of Israel.
Read more- First book on subject in 150 years
- Lots of quotes create novelistic effect
- Illustrated with political cartoons
Reviews & endorsements
'Jonathan Frankel's book pulls together much that was known, deflates a number of myths, and integrates a horrifying Jewish cause célébre into mainstream international history. His erudition, his impressive command of languages, and sensitivity in sifting through complex issues make The Damascus Affair an important addition to the growing literature in modern Jewish history.' The Times Literary Supplement
See more reviews'To the historiography of 1840 this book is a singularly valuable contribution, excelling its predecessors by the wealth of material adduced, the insight into motives and policies and the sobriety of its conclusions.' English Historical Review
Customer reviews
Not yet reviewed
Be the first to review
Review was not posted due to profanity
×Product details
- Date Published: April 1997
- format: Paperback
- isbn: 9780521483964
- length: 512 pages
- dimensions: 228 x 152 x 25 mm
- weight: 0.68kg
- contains: 26 b/w illus.
- availability: Available
Table of Contents
Preface
1. Introduction
Part I. The Dynamics of Ritual Murder:
2. Ritual murder: official documents
3. The mechanics and motivations of the case
4. Beyond Damascus: early reactions
5. The consuls divide
Part II. In Search of Support:
6. The press, the politicians, and the Jews
7. Restoring the balance: the Middle East
8. Political polarization and the genesis of the mission to the East
Part III. 1840 - Perceptions, Polemics, Prophecies:
9. The crisis: Jewish perceptions
10. The religious polemics
11. Christian Millennialists, Jewish Messianists, and Lord Palmerston
12. Jewish nationalism in embryo
Part IV. Last Things:
13. Alexandria on the eve of war
14. The final lap: public opinion in Europe
15. In the wake of the war: the return to routine
Part V. In Retrospect:
16. Between historiography and myth: the two primary versions of the affair
17. Conclusion.
Sorry, this resource is locked
Please register or sign in to request access. If you are having problems accessing these resources please email lecturers@cambridge.org
Register Sign in» Proceed
You are now leaving the Cambridge University Press website. Your eBook purchase and download will be completed by our partner www.ebooks.com. Please see the permission section of the www.ebooks.com catalogue page for details of the print & copy limits on our eBooks.
Continue ×Are you sure you want to delete your account?
This cannot be undone.
Thank you for your feedback which will help us improve our service.
If you requested a response, we will make sure to get back to you shortly.
×