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Warsaw pogrom (1881)
Encyclopedia
The Warsaw pogrom was a pogrom
that took place in Russian-controlled Warsaw
on December 25–27, 1881, then part of Vistula Land
in the Russian Empire
.
A contemporary Jewish-Russian historian, Simon Dubnow
, gives details of this event: on Christmas Day 1881 the outbreak of panic after a false warning of fire in the crowded Holy Cross Church
resulted in the deaths of twenty-nine persons in a stampede
. It was believed that the false alarm was raised by pickpockets, who used the ruse to allow them to rob people during the panic. A crowd gathered on the scene of the event and some unknown persons started to spread a rumour, which subsequently proved to be unfounded, that two Jewish pickpockets had been caught in the church.
The mob began to attack Jews, Jewish stores, businesses, and residences in the streets adjoining the Holy Cross Church.
The riots in Warsaw continued for three days, until Russian authorities (who controlled the police as well as military in the city) intervened, arresting 2,600 people. During the Warsaw pogrom two people were left dead and twenty-four injured. The pogrom
also left about a thousand Jewish families financially devastated. In the months afterwards about one thousand Warsaw Jews emigrated to the United States
. The pogrom worsened Polish-Jewish relations, and was criticized by Polish writer, Eliza Orzeszkowa
, and several other notable activists.
Historians Simon Dubnow
, Yitzhak Gruenbaum
, Frank Golczewski and Magdalena Micinska, among others, noted that the pogrom might have been instigated by the Russian authorities, trying to drive a wedge between Jews and Poles or show that pogroms, increasingly common in Russian Empire
after the assassination of the tsar
Alexander II
in 1881 (in that period over 200 anti-Jewish events occurred in Russian Empire
, notably the Kiev
and Odessa pogrom
s), were not a Russia-only phenomena. However historian Michael Ochs
disagreed with this explanation, citing insufficient evidence. Ochs calls those explanations conspiracy theories, arguing that they fail to present what the Russian authorities would have gained from the pogroms. He notes that period from 1863 to 1881 was witnessing the increase of anti-Semitism
in Poland, with disillusionment among Poles with the idea of assimilation of the Jews was growing, and hence there was less need for the Russian authorities to orchestrate a pogrom, which might have been spontaneous.
Pogrom
A pogrom is a form of violent riot, a mob attack directed against a minority group, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres...
that took place in Russian-controlled Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
on December 25–27, 1881, then part of Vistula Land
Vistula land
Vistula Land or Vistula Country was the name applied to the lands of the Kingdom of Poland following the defeats of the November Uprising and January Uprising as it was increasingly stripped of autonomy and incorporated into Imperial Russia...
in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
.
Warsaw Pogrom
Simon Dubnow
Simon Dubnow was a Jewish historian, writer and activist...
, gives details of this event: on Christmas Day 1881 the outbreak of panic after a false warning of fire in the crowded Holy Cross Church
Holy Cross Church, Warsaw
The Church of the Holy Cross is a Roman Catholic house of worship in downtown Warsaw, Poland. Located on Krakowskie Przedmieście opposite the main Warsaw University campus, it is one of the most notable Baroque churches in Poland's capital....
resulted in the deaths of twenty-nine persons in a stampede
Stampede
A stampede is an act of mass impulse among herd animals or a crowd of people in which the herd collectively begins running with no clear direction or purpose....
. It was believed that the false alarm was raised by pickpockets, who used the ruse to allow them to rob people during the panic. A crowd gathered on the scene of the event and some unknown persons started to spread a rumour, which subsequently proved to be unfounded, that two Jewish pickpockets had been caught in the church.
The mob began to attack Jews, Jewish stores, businesses, and residences in the streets adjoining the Holy Cross Church.
The riots in Warsaw continued for three days, until Russian authorities (who controlled the police as well as military in the city) intervened, arresting 2,600 people. During the Warsaw pogrom two people were left dead and twenty-four injured. The pogrom
Pogrom
A pogrom is a form of violent riot, a mob attack directed against a minority group, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres...
also left about a thousand Jewish families financially devastated. In the months afterwards about one thousand Warsaw Jews emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The pogrom worsened Polish-Jewish relations, and was criticized by Polish writer, Eliza Orzeszkowa
Eliza Orzeszkowa
-External links:...
, and several other notable activists.
Historians Simon Dubnow
Simon Dubnow
Simon Dubnow was a Jewish historian, writer and activist...
, Yitzhak Gruenbaum
Yitzhak Gruenbaum
Yitzhak Gruenbaum was a noted leader of the Zionist movement among Polish Jewry between the two world wars and of the Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine, and the first Interior Minister of Israel.-Education and journalistic career:Gruenbaum was born in Warsaw, Poland...
, Frank Golczewski and Magdalena Micinska, among others, noted that the pogrom might have been instigated by the Russian authorities, trying to drive a wedge between Jews and Poles or show that pogroms, increasingly common in Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
after the assassination of the tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Alexander II
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
in 1881 (in that period over 200 anti-Jewish events occurred in Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, notably the Kiev
Kiev pogrom
Kiev pogrom may refer to* Kiev Pogrom * Kiev Pogrom * Kiev Pogrom * Kiev Pogrom * Kiev Pogrom...
and Odessa pogrom
Odessa pogrom
Odessa pogrom may refer to antisemitic communal violence in the city of Odessa . Such events took place in 1821, 1859, 1871, 1881, 1886 and 1905...
s), were not a Russia-only phenomena. However historian Michael Ochs
Michael Ochs
Michael Ochs is an American photographic archivist best known for his extensive collection of pictures related to rock music dating back to the 1950s and 1960s...
disagreed with this explanation, citing insufficient evidence. Ochs calls those explanations conspiracy theories, arguing that they fail to present what the Russian authorities would have gained from the pogroms. He notes that period from 1863 to 1881 was witnessing the increase of anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
in Poland, with disillusionment among Poles with the idea of assimilation of the Jews was growing, and hence there was less need for the Russian authorities to orchestrate a pogrom, which might have been spontaneous.