The Common Roots of Anti-Americanism and Anti-Semitism

When analyzing the virulent anti-American sentiment that has resurfaced in Germany - especially among left-wing pundits and observers - following the Snowden revelations concerning massive data-mining, it is useful to consider the recent history of anti-Semitism. 

Martin Engelberg, writing in Die Presse, sees a close connection between both positions, which are particularly entrenched in the German left today: 

Dazu werden beide ("die Amerikaner" und "die Juden") für bestimmte Erscheinungen – insbesondere der Moderne – personifiziert und diffamiert. Juden und Amerikaner werden als „das andere“ oder „das Böse“, als konträr der eigenen moralischen Position gegenüber bezeichnet. Bereits zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts wurde der „amerikanische Geist“ als bedrohlich und zersetzend für die deutsche Kultur angesehen; sehr ähnlich der „jüdische Geist“, dessen Bekämpfung in der Nazi-Zeit ihren Höhepunkt fand.

(Both the Americans and the Jews personify certain social phemonena - especially modernity - and are reviled for this.  Jew and Americans are seen as "the other" and "evil", since they are contrary to the superior moral standing of the Volk.  Already at the beginning of the 2oth century the "American spirit" was seen as a corrosive influence on the "German spirit; the same as well with the "Jewish spirit", the resistance against which reached its apex in tne Nazi era.)

Underlying both anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism, according to Martin Engelberg, is a feeling of profound powerlessness: 

Amerikanern und Juden wird gleichermaßen zugeschrieben, die Macht zu besitzen, das Weltgeschehen bis in Details zu bestimmen. Die Bedrohung durch beide ist deshalb so gefährlich, weil sie sich im Inneren europäischer Gesellschaften „eingenistet“ haben. Die Juden lebten tatsächlich bis zur Nazi-Zeit inmitten europäischer Gesellschaften, die USA drangen mit ihrer Sprache, Kultur, ihrem Lebensgefühl in Herz und Seele der Europäer ein. Bei jeder sich bietenden Gelegenheit muss die Volksseele versuchen, sich dieser Dominanz zu entledigen.

(It is taken for granted that both the Americans and "the Jews" have the power to influence world events down to the smallest detail. They pose such a great threat since both have "burrowed" deeply in European society.  Up until the Nazi era the Jews lived in the heart of European society, while the US forced itself into the European soul with its language, its culture, its American way of life. The pure soul of the Volk must take every opportunity to throw off this dominance.)

But Engelberg's critique is tame compared with that of Andrei S. Markovits, who sees anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism as "Siamese Twins" in Europe today.  Markovits has written a good book about the history of anti-Americanism in Europe:  Amerika, dich hasst sich's besser.  In another essay he writes about how the perception of an all-powerful Israel has bled into the perception of an all-powerful America - creating a two-headed evil monster in the left-wing imagination:

In today's intellectual Europe it is illegitimate to view European Jews as Shylocks (or deride them as such), but it is entirely legitimate to portray those Jews who, instead of fitting the picture of the weak pariah, have built their own state (namely Israel and the Israelis) as Rambos and to hate them as such.¹³ It is the figure of the tough, aggressive, unscrupulous, and ruthless Jew in the form of the powerful, brutal Israeli that is lending a new dimension to contemporary European anti-Semitism. And it is strength and (military) power that assigns anti-Americanism an auxiliary and indispensable role in this new form of anti-Semitism (outfitted as hostility toward Israel)¹⁴ and that turns these two phenomena into politically potent Siamese twins throughout Europe.

Until recently, it was clear how the U.S.-Israel relationship fit into this line of thinking: It was the powerful United States that was using Israel as a marionette or "aircraft carrier" for its "imperialist" and "neo-colonial" schemes; the U.S. was the real power, and Israel was the henchman. But in the discourse of many Europeans after 11 September 2001 - and especially since the Iraq war - this has been reversed almost 180 degrees.

The current controversy around the spying activity of the HSA will gradually fade away, but anti-Americanism is bound to resurface in Germany over and over again.

 

Comments

[dz alexander]

That's quite a leap you make there at the end. Are you really suggesting that the anti-NSA "protestants" are just finding another pretence for their anti-Americanism?
This psychologizing of political criticism reminds me of William Buckley's remark that "We analyse our friends' arguments; those of our enemies we diagnose ." More to the political point both big powers of the cold war have a history of this. The Soviet Union sent its dissidents to psychiatric institutes; U.S. officials would send early anti-Vietnam protesters for evaluations where they would be asked searching questions about their relations with their fathers.
I watched a couple of videos -- Markovitz appearing with James Q Wilson at some americanfreedomalliance gig. At least he points out that, unlike the Jews of Eastern Europe, Americans have real power. [and, unlike Wilson he is willing to entertain the possibility that being anti-Iraq war might have some legitimate basis -- Wilson's side bar title sounds ominous "James Q. Wilson: "The Genetic Basis of Political Views"]

And those Americans like Glen Greenwald, William Binney, etc who deplore the NSA's actions -- are they just self-hating Americans?

One parallel not mentioned is the "anti-German sentiment that has resurfaced" in southern europe. Any real basis?

[David]

In the case of Greenwald, yes, he does come close to being a "self-hating American" - every interview he drips with total contempt for our institutions.

Look, we can have, and are having, a debate on limiting the power of the NSA and whether the existing checks and balances are sufficient.

But that is a far cry from the hysteria in Germany concerning "Stasi-USA". Not one case of abuse can be cited in Germany concerning NSA data - which anyway was freely shared with the BND.

Meanwhile the National Socialist Underground (NSU) went on a 10-year killing spree - unchecked.

[o.p.unohoo]

What's happening here? I've posted a comment some hours ago and now it's gone. btw, not for the first time. Doesn't Typepad accept comments from users with a hushmail adress?

Anyway, I try it again...

David, you shouldn't point at us. Don't you see what's happening in your own country?

"Secret courts issuing secret rulings invariably in favor of the US government that those most affected are barred by law from discussing? Is there anyone incapable at this point of seeing what the United States has become?"

Wake up, David. I can't believe you still defend that president.

[o.p.unohoo]

Another comment has disappeared. It had a link to the Guardian. Honi soit...