The Jew Accused: Three Anti-Semitic Affairs (Dreyfus, Beilis, Frank) 1894-1915

New
Paperback
1992
$42.12

Three Jews, Alfred Dreyfus, Mendel Beilis, and Leo Frank, were charged with heinous crimes in the generation before World War I, Dreyfus of treason in France, Beilis of ritual murder in Russia, and Frank of the murder of a young girl in the United States. Quite aside from the lurid details and sensational charges, larger issues emerged, among them the power of modern anti-Semitism, the sometimes tragic conflict between the freedom of the press and the protection of individual rights, the unpredictable reactions of individuals when subjected to extreme situations, and the inevitable ambiguities of campaigns for truth and justice when political advantage is to be gained from them. In attempting to untangle myth and reality many surprises emerge; heroes appear less heroic and villains less villainous, while real factors appear more important than most accounts of the affairs have recognised.

Synopsis

Three Jews, Alfred Dreyfus, Mendel Beilis, and Leo Frank, were charged with heinous crimes in the generation before World War I, Dreyfus of treason in France, Beilis of ritual murder in Russia, and Frank of the murder of a young girl in the United States. Quite aside from the lurid details and sensational charges, larger issues emerged, among them the power of modern anti-Semitism, the sometimes tragic conflict between the freedom of the press and the protection of individual rights, the unpredictable reactions of individuals when subjected to extreme situations, and the inevitable ambiguities of campaigns for truth and justice when political advantage is to be gained from them. In attempting to untangle myth and reality many surprises emerge; heroes appear less heroic and villains less villainous, while real factors appear more important than most accounts of the affairs have recognised.

$42.12

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Edition: Reprint
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 30 Oct 1992
ISBN 10: 0521447615
ISBN 13: 9780521447614

Media Reviews

'Lindemann takes anti-Semitism out of the realm of fantasy and stereotype and places it firmly in the realm of history. Lindemann pursues this approach through a painstaking analysis. He certainly manages to shed a new light on the most well-known of these affairs: the sequence of lies, bungles and brave gestures surrounding the arrest for espionage of the French Jew Alfred Dreyfus.' The Times Higher Education Supplement
What emerges from The Jew Accused is a valuable examination of the interaction between Jews and gentiles in different nations. Lindemann's observations and learned conclusions on such a critical theme as anti-Semitism merit our careful reactions. The Virginian-Pilot and the Ledger-Star
...a perceptive reappraisal of complex events. Times Higher Education Supplement
...this is a well-written and thought-provoking book that will stimulate and challenge.... Choice
Throughout the book, Mr. Lindemann, making use of contemporary documents, provides a vivid sense of people and of the period. The New Yorker
He [Lindemann] is especially good at showing the mixed motives of both the accusers and the defenders. He also deftly portrays the historical background and ideological forces. This account is well-written and detailed. Library Journal
This work is based on wide reading in very different literatures. Professor Lindemann manages to bring a fresh approach to a much studied subject. It is a fascinating book to read. Peter Kenez, University of California, Santa Cruz
In this first comparative study of the three harrowing affairs, Lindemann draws valuable insights and some provocative conclusions. Carole Fink, Ohio State University
Albert Lindemann's impressive and well-written study of the Dreyfus, Beilis, and Frank affairs explores the social and political constructions of anti-Semitism within an unusally rich comparative framework. Challenging a range of traditional perspectives, from purported tolerance of the Dreyfusards to the 'exceptionalism' of the Jewish question in America, Lindemann shows neatly the relationship between the development of anti-Semitic attitudes and movements and the expanding Jewish role in Europe and the United States. His book is bound to stir debate, but few will fail to appreciate the intelligence and sensitivity with which he frames the many contentious issues associated with these famous anti-Semitic affairs, or the care with which Lindemann draws his interesting conclusions. William G. Rosenberg, University of Michigan
Lindemann devotes about a quarter of his book to Dreyfus. His analysis of the development of anti-Semitism in France in the 25 years before Dreyfus was charged with treason is especially good. Washington Jewish Week
The Jew Accused deserves a wide readership. It is accessible to a general audience and the university classroom alike. Stephen Pattee, PhD, Bridges