Georges Depping - History of The Jews During The Middle Ages

History of The Jews During The Middle Ages

Besides these and other historical works, he wrote: Les Juifs dans le Moyen Age, Essai Historique sur Leur Etat Civil, Commercial et Littéraire, Paris, 1834; 2d ed., 1844; German transl., Stuttgart, 1834. Depping was especially attracted to the history of the Jews in Europe during the Middle Ages by "its wealth of instruction for us; one can see from this history how fanaticism has been able to root out kindness and neighborly love, ... and what misfortunes met those exiles who in barbaric times wished to preserve their national customs and a religion offensive to those among whom they lived."

The book owed its origin to the offer of a prize, in 1821, by the Royal Academy for a work describing the condition of the Jews in France during the medieval period. Depping's work was given honorable mention, but did not win the prize.

He later enlarged the work, extending its scope to the general history of the Jews in Europe. The medieval Christian sources—documents, letters, chronicles, and histories, especially those dealing with the history of the Jews in France—were studied by Depping with great diligence and not without critical acumen. This fact gives importance to the book. But it is to be regretted that those rabbinical sources which were not accessible in the form of translations were but seldom consulted. As a consequence the few passages relating to the literature of the Jews are of no value (compare, especially on Rashi, pp. 113 et seq.; Zunz, "Z. G." pp. 151, 446).

The Introduction (pp. v.-xxiv.) contains a short but valueless review of the history of the Jews up to their appearance in Europe. Depping's style is pleasing.

Read more about this topic:  Georges Depping

Famous quotes containing the words history of the, history of, history, jews, middle and/or ages:

    Perhaps universal history is the history of the diverse intonation of some metaphors.
    Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986)

    ... that there is no other way,
    That the history of creation proceeds according to
    Stringent laws, and that things
    Do get done in this way, but never the things
    We set out to accomplish and wanted so desperately
    To see come into being.
    John Ashbery (b. 1927)

    The history of all countries shows that the working class exclusively by its own effort is able to develop only trade-union consciousness.
    Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (1870–1924)

    That the Jews assumed a right exclusively to the benefits of God will be a lasting witness against them & the same will it be against Christians.
    William Blake (1757–1827)

    What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.
    Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)

    After ages of bombast, the rhetoric of virtue has become ironic and shy.
    Mason Cooley (b. 1927)