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Efes Damim (No Blood), was originally published in Wilna…

“Efes Damim (No Blood), was originally published in Wilna in 1837 and included text in Hebrew, Latin, Russian, and Polish. The book was subsequently translated into German, French, and English. But on the other side of the debate, the scribblings of August Rohling, a fraudulent professor of…” quote by Helmut Walser Smith
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““Efes Damim (No Blood), was originally published in Wilna in 1837 and included text in Hebrew, Latin, Russian, and Polish. The book was subsequently translated into German, French, and English. But on the other side of the debate, the scribblings of August Rohling, a fraudulent professor of Catholic theology who had taught in Milwaukee, Münster, and Prague, were also translated.””

Helmut Walser Smith

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage outlines the multilingual publication of a controversial work and the parallel spread of a fraudulent scholar’s anti‑Jewish writings.

In simple terms: A book was published in many languages, while a false scholar’s work spread too.

Key Takeaway

Beware of misinformation and its wide reach.

Themes

history propaganda religion language truth

Mood

analytical critical inquisitive

Type

historical informational

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • education
  • media literacy
  • policy making

Key Concepts

cultural transmission bias scholarly fraud

Questions to Reflect On

  • What motivated the translations?
  • How did audiences react to each work?
A Different Perspective

The excerpt lacks context about the content’s impact on societies.

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