Nazis und der Nahe Osten: Wie der islamische Antisemitismus entstand

by Matthias Küntzel

1937 kam mit der Broschüre „Islam und Judentum“ eine neue Form von Judenhass in die Welt: der islamische Antisemitismus. Die Nationalsozialisten taten alles, um diese neue Hassbotschaft mithilfe ihrer arabischsprachigen Radiopropaganda zu verankern. Das Buch beleuchtet dieses bislang unbekannte Kapitel deutscher Vergangenheit. Es präsentiert neue Archivfunde, die belegen, wie sich das Judenbild im Islam zwischen 1937 und 1948 unter dem Einfluss dieser Propaganda und sonstiger Nazi-Aktivitäten veränderte.
Dieser neue Blick auf die Nahostgeschichte ermöglicht eine präzisere Beurteilung der Gegenwart: Was genau ist „islamischer Antisemitismus“? Wie tritt er gegenwärtig in Deutschland und Frankreich in Erscheinung? Was macht ihn besonders gefährlich?
Erst wenn wir begreifen, wie stark die moderne Nahostgeschichte von den Nachwirkungen des Nationalsozialismus geprägt ist, werden wir den Judenhass in dieser Region und dessen Echo unter Muslimen in Europa richtig deuten und adäquate Gegenmaßnahmen entwickeln können.

Genres: Middle East, Antisemitism, Nonfiction, Islam, Germany, Jewish

264 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2019

About the author

Political scientist and historian Matthias Küntzel, born in 1955, holds a tenured part-time position as a teacher of political science at a technical college in Hamburg, Germany.

In 2011, Matthias Küntzel was presented with the Anti-Defamation-League’s (ADL) Paul Ehrlich-Günther K. Schwerin Human Rights Award during the League’s National Executive Committee meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. “Matthias Küntzel has a long and distinguished record in speaking out against anti-Semitism and warning his readers in his native Germany and elsewhere about the dangers posed by this age-old virus that has no known cure,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, in presenting the award. “His work has been sorely under-appreciated in this country. With this recognition, we hope to acknowledge his ongoing efforts and also let the American public know of the implications of this disturbing trend.”

Küntzel is an external research associate at the Vidal Sassoon International Centre for the Study of Antisemitism (SICSA) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and served until March 2013 as a member of the Board of Directors of the German chapter of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME). He is a member of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), of the German Historians’ Association (VHD) and of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA).

Since 2001, his research and writing has focused on: Antisemitism, Antisemitism in current Islamic thinking, Islamism, Islamism and National Socialism, Iran, and German and Western policies towards the Middle East and Iran.

His essays and articles have been translated into twelve languages and published inter alia in The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, The Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, The Weekly Standard, Telos, Policy Review, The Jerusalem Post, Standard, Spiegel, Welt, Die Zeit and Internationale Politik.

Reviews

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important work, well researched and dealing with subjects which are constantly suppressed in academic and political discourse in the West. Germany still refuses to confront its historical role in fuelling Islamic extremism. This meticulously researched book offers a sobering examination of Germany’s historical relationship with Islamism and antisemitism, tracing its evolution from the First World War to the ongoing complexities of the modern Middle East. The author masterfully unpacks the deep connections between Nazi ideology, militant Arab nationalism, and radical Islamism, providing a compelling narrative of how these alliances have shaped political and ideological currents in the region and beyond.

The book begins with Germany’s alliance with the Ottoman Empire during World War I, highlighting how German strategists sought to exploit Islamic sentiment to destabilize the British Empire. This strategy laid the groundwork for later alliances between Germany and Islamist movements. The emergence of the Nazi Party brought a more virulent form of antisemitism into these relationships, culminating in the extensive Nazi support for Arab leaders and movements that would later become pivotal in shaping the Middle East.

One of the book’s most fascinating revelations is the extent of Nazi influence on the founding of the Muslim Brotherhood. The author documents how Nazi propaganda, logistical support, and ideological alignment with the Brotherhood’s leadership helped create a lasting bond that would tie antisemitism to Islamist movements. This connection was further cemented during World War II, as Nazi Germany actively sought to mobilize Arab nationalism and Islamist militancy against British and Zionist interests.

The narrative then explores the post-war era, where the ideological and material legacies of Nazi influence lingered in the Middle East. The book provides a detailed account of how Nazi-trained operatives and sympathizers found refuge and employment in the Arab world, contributing to the rise of Ba’athism and other nationalist movements. These movements, infused with Nazi-inspired antisemitism, played a key role in the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Jews from Middle Eastern countries and the perpetuation of violent opposition to Israel.

The author also critiques modern Germany’s contradictory stance on its Holocaust legacy and its relationship with Israel. On the one hand, Germany has accepted responsibility for the Holocaust and supported Israel diplomatically and financially. On the other hand, it has often adopted uncritical narratives of Arab victimhood, influenced by lingering sympathy for Palestinian nationalism and a reluctance to confront the antisemitic underpinnings of some of these movements. The book highlights the dangers of a new form of antisemitism, rooted not in fascism but in the radical left, which frames Israel as a colonial aggressor and obscures the historical and ideological origins of conflict in the region.

What makes this book particularly compelling is its exploration of the ideological roots of modern Islamic extremism. The author draws direct lines from the antisemitic theories of the Nazis to the rhetoric and actions of Islamist groups in the Middle East today. This continuity, the book argues, has fueled decades of violence and conflict, with antisemitism remaining a core driver of instability in the region.

The book’s detailed analysis of Nazi investment in Arab nationalism and Islamist mobilization reveals how these alliances shaped not only opposition to Zionism but also broader regional dynamics. From supporting Ba’athist regimes to the supply of weapons of mass destruction, the author paints a chilling picture of how the ideological legacy of Nazism continues to cast a long shadow over the Middle East.

In conclusion, Nazis, Islamic Antisemitism and the Middle East is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the historical roots of modern conflicts in the region. By examining the intersections of Nazi ideology, Arab nationalism, and Islamism, the author provides a crucial perspective on the enduring impact of these alliances. The book is both a warning and a call to confront the ideological underpinnings of contemporary antisemitism, which continues to shape the geopolitics of the Middle East and the world.

[Rania · Rating 5 out of 5]

a must-read

[Anya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read to understand the roots of modern-day antisemitism in the Middle East.

Document Islam-Judaism, Appeal of the Grand Mufti to the Islamic World in 1937
It was very painful reading this propagandist document, realizing how many people believed it to be true, and how the consequences of this belief still affect a lot of peoples understanding of "a Jew" in the Middle East.