Imperial Russia's Jewish Question, 1855–1881

John Klier examines Russian public opinion on the 'Jewish Question' in the Russian Empire.

John Doyle Klier (Author)

9780521023818, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 November 2005

560 pages, 36 b/w illus. 3 maps
23 x 15.6 x 3.9 cm, 0.848 kg

The reform era in Russia (1855–1881) witnessed the emancipation of the serfs, economic and social change, the reform of all imperial institutions, and the growth of national identity among Russians and the Empire's expanding Jewish population. Consequently, the 'Jewish Question' became one of most hotly debated topics in Russia. Attitudes toward the Jews which evolved during this period persisted up to the Revolution and beyond. This book, based on exhaustive archival research of materials published during the period, studies the interplay of public opinion and official policy. The author examines the attitudes of all sectors of Russian educated society towards the Jews. He also explores how a new group, the Russian Jewish intelligentsia, sought to define a modern Jewish identity in the midst of a multi-ethnic Empire.

Part I. The Era of the Great Reforms: 1. Moshkas and Ioshkas
2. The Illustratsiia affair of 1858
3. Defining terms
4. Rassvet and the future of Judaism
5. Sion and the problem of nationality
6. The religious element in Russian Judeophobia
Part II. The Era of Russification: 7. Russification in the Northwest
8. 'Kiev is Russian'
9. 'Kiev is Ukrainian'
10. Education and Russification
11. Partisans of enlightenment: the ORPME
12. 'A State within a State'
Part III. The Era of Social and Economic Change: 13. The theme of 'Jewish exploitation
14. Dead souls: the military reform of 1874
15. The dilemma of the Russian Jewish intelligentsia
16. The riddle of liberal Judeophobia
17. The crystallization of conservative Judeophobia
18. The occult element in Russian Judeophobia.

Subject Areas: Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], European history [HBJD]