The item for this week is a 1948 reprinting of a treatise by Martin Luther titled The Jews and Their Lies originally written in 1543 and published by The Christian Nationalist Crusade. [1]
The Christian Nationalist Crusade was an anti-Semitic and pro-segregation organization that was founded by Gerlad L.K. Smith in St. Louis, Missouri in 1942 and disbanded in 1977 having moved to Glendale, California.[2] Smith’s political life started during the Great Depression as part of the Share Our Wealth movement and later he began to move this into the realm of white supremacy. Smith also joined various pro-Nazi groups during and after WWII.[3] The repurposing of historical texts is not uncommon in many extremist organizations, especially religious based groups. In Luther’s original text, which is said to have had a major influence on Nazi dogma he proposes seven actions Christians can take against Jews:
- to avoid Jewish synagogues and schools and warn people against them;
- to refuse to let Jews own houses among Christians;
- for Jewish religious writings to be taken away;
- for rabbis to be forbidden to preach;
- to not offer protection for Jews on highways;
- for usury to be prohibited, and for all silver and gold to be removed, put aside for safekeeping and given back to Jews who truly convert; and
- to give young, strong Jews flail, axe, spade, spindle, and let them earn their bread in the sweat of their noses
Christian Nationalist Crusade (1948)
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Jews_and_Their_Lies
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Nationalist_Crusade
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_L._K._Smith