Antisemitic Imagery and Cartoons

Antisemitic Imagery and Caricatures

Antisemitic imagery and cartoons have been drawn and disseminated throughout time, from as far back as the Middle Ages in Europe. From false depictions of Jewish ritual murder, to the images produced by the Nazis of a Jewish pollutant contaminating German Society they have sought to inspire hate and fear. Antisemitic imagery repeatedly represents the Jews as ‘the Jew’, namely as one homogenous group working against society. Today, pictures echoing age-old antisemitic tropes can be found on social media, portraying the Jew as ‘the other’; as a nefarious controller of banks, Hollywood and politics, and as the hidden hand behind society’s contemporary problems

This guide aims to explore common antisemitic imagery, the history of the depictions and how they manifest themselves today, specifically focussing on cases from the last decade. Antisemitism can be nuanced, and in some instances, the case studies included in this guide have caused ample debate and discussion about their meanings. However, this document serves an illustrative purpose, that for future cases the reader will be equipped to understand why such images will cause concern or should not be considered acceptable.