Arndt, Ernst Moritz°

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ARNDT, ERNST MORITZ°

ARNDT, ERNST MORITZ ° (1769–1860), German antisemitic writer. Arndt, who was born in Schoritz (Ruegen), ranks among the fathers of modern journalism. He played a crucial part in the development of German nationalism, with a corollary of hostility to and fear of the Jews. He was one of the first exponents of racialism (see Theory of *Race). In his Blick aus der Zeit auf die Zeit (noch etwas ueber die Juden; 1814), Arndt considered that the Jews had become "a depraved and degenerate people, … unfit to be full citizens in a Christian state" (p. 180–201). German-born Jews were less noxious and might be tolerated out of Christian charity, but those coming from Poland and elsewhere should not be permitted to enter Germany, lest the German stock should become tainted by admixture (Mischung).

bibliography:

ndb, 1 (1953), 358–60; Schaefer and Schawe (eds.), Ernst Moritz Arndt, ein bibliographisches Handbuch, 1769–1969 (1969).

[Marcus Pyka (2nd ed.)]