Page 30 - The Track Of The Jew Through The Ages - Alfred Rosenberg

The Track of the Jew through the Ages

the result was that from all places, along other peoples, mainly Jews
streamed in in great numbers. 22 Precisely in this way did it happen
in Poland, Bohemia and other states. The Jew had no patriotic feeling
and could acquire such nowhere and did not also long for it, and, as
an eternal wanderer, moved to wherever intennediary trade and usury
could flourish.
Here there is an undeniable characteristic quality that grew
increasingly more rigid with time, but was not at all imposed on the
Jew by wicked men.
As the Anglo-Saxon, the Scandinavian and the German
moved to foreign lands to cultivate empty lands, as they constructed
their farms, and built their life with plough in hand (their brothers
with a different nature investigated meanwhile the earth and the
cosmos), the Jew moved in irresistibly to the colourful throng of
port cities, exchange-kiosks and fairs.
The Jews, as mentioned, participated actively in the
Babylonian trade, which conveyed Chinese and Indian products to
the West, and provided its own precious wares to the markets on the
Mediterranean Sea.
The many commercial chiefs who are named, however, stand
in the worst reputation. Three cities of Babylon are especially
notorious and this was on account of the Jewish commercial
23
activity.
The Jews worked eagerly with the Phoenicians but they
often fell into the most bitter conflicts with their racial half-brothers.
In Alexandria they soon rose through cunning trade and financial
businesses to be financial kings of the land, became tax-collectors,
lent their money in emergencies even to kings (thus, for example,
they issued a bill of exchange to Agrippa), and obtained the most
influential positions at the court.
Due to this Jewish power there arose many popular
uprisings, especially in 116 they were badly treated; but with the
greatest tenacity they started their businesses over again and soon
22 [J.J. Schudt, Judische
Schudt, Jildische Merkwiirdigkeiten, Vol.1, p. 27.
Merkwiirdigkeiten , 4 vols., 1714-1717. Johann Jakob Schudt (1664-1722) was a
German historian and Orientalist who was markedly anti-Jewish.]
23
Herzfeld, op.cit., p. 21 9.
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