“Talmudists—Speculators—Colonists”: The Changing Image of Jews in the Eyes of German Protestant Missionaries during the Late Ottoman Period in Palestine

Research concerning the attitude of Protestant missions towards Jews in Palestine concentrated till recently mainly on the Anglican missions. Less intention was given to their colleagues, the German Missions.

My presentation reviews the changing conceptions of German Missionaries on Jews from the middle of the 19th century to the eve of WWI. It concentrates on the leaders of the biggest, the oldest, and most famous Protestant educational institution in the country at that time–Schneller`s "Syrian Orphanage" [das Syriche Waisenhaus] of Jerusalem. While only few Europeans followed systematically the development of the Jewish segment in Palestine, it is found that the German resources reported on the subject consistently and on `real-time` presented commentaries on it as well.

During these years the Holy Land turned from a sleepy backward region into a bustling environment, in which international interests collided, immigrants and settlers met natives, and the European Modernism rushed in.

The lecture presents how, under these circumstances, prejudice and old religious beliefs begin to shift and influence communal relationships es in a developing country – a relevant topic to our days as well. The lecture is based on resources from archives in Germany and Switzerland, and is part of a continues research on the influence of the German Missions on the Holy Land.