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Simply stated, a pogrom is an act of mass violence or mass-murder of a certain group of people. Historically, this term -– Russian for "demolish violently or riot" -- has been applied more specifically to the mass killing of the Jewish people, perhaps because of the frequency with which pogroms were committed against them. But a pogrom goes well beyond mere killing; a pogrom is much like a riot aimed not only at killing, but also at destroying homes, businesses, and other forms of daily life and culture.
Throughout history, the Jews have suffered pogroms at the hands of various groups throughout Europe. They began in Eastern Europe and spread west, Russia and the Ukraine being sites of particularly concentrated violence. During a pogrom, a certain sect or group was targeted and violently attacked. Businesses were ransacked and looted, homes were destroyed, entire villages would be burned to the ground, and more often than not, people would die at the hands of their aggressors. In the case of the Jews, these pogroms persisted for decades after the first reported pogrom in Russia in the 1880’s, thereby perpetuating anti-Semitism and eventually culminating in the Holocaust.
In Nazi Germany, pogrom activity persisted under Hitler’s rule, though Hitler himself discouraged such disorganized violence. But Nazi troops and German police would often allow such rioting to take place, sometimes even encouraging it. Perhaps the most famous and devastating pogrom, Kristallnacht, occurred in 1938 and saw the destruction of approximately 2000 synagogues as well as the murder of almost a hundred Jews. Thousands of Jewish businesses were destroyed and aggression toward the Jews ran wild, paving the way for Hitler’s Jewish eradication plans.
During this era, however, Germans were not the only aggressors toward the Jews. Polish citizens organized pogrom after pogrom throughout the war, even persisting after the war ended, leading Jews to believe they would never be welcome in Poland again. As a result of the Polish pogroms, as well as earlier pogrom events in Russia, other nations including the United States and the United Kingdom experienced a massive influx of Jews fleeing the violence.
Pogroms have occurred in other parts of the world to other groups: Sikhs in India endured a pogrom in the early 1980’s, and Muslims in India were targeted about twenty years later. Greeks were targeted in Istanbul in the 1950’s by Turks. In 1999 in Kosovo, non-Albanians were forced from their homes and saw the destruction of their property and businesses. NATO forces were present but did not intervene.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a pogrom?
A pogrom is a violent riot aimed at the massacre or expulsion of an ethnic or religious group, particularly one aimed at Jews. The term originally comes from Russian, where it was used to describe violent attacks by local non-Jewish populations on Jews in the Russian Empire. Pogroms are characterized by killings, destruction of property, and widespread violence, often with the local authorities turning a blind eye or even participating.
When did pogroms typically occur?
Pogroms have occurred throughout history, but they are most commonly associated with a series of violent attacks against Jews in Russia and Eastern Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Notably, the Kishinev pogrom of 1903 and the wave of pogroms that swept through Eastern Europe following the Russian Revolution of 1917 are often cited. These events were marked by extreme violence and had devastating effects on Jewish communities.
What were the causes of pogroms?
Pogroms were often the result of a combination of deep-seated ethnic hatred, religious tensions, economic envy, and social upheaval. They were sometimes incited by false accusations, such as the blood libel against Jews, or triggered by political changes and economic crises. In many cases, local authorities and governments used pogroms as a way to deflect public dissatisfaction away from themselves and onto a scapegoated group.
How did pogroms affect the Jewish community?
Pogroms had a profound impact on Jewish communities, resulting in loss of life, severe trauma, destruction of property, and mass emigration. The violence and fear led many Jews to flee Eastern Europe, with a significant number immigrating to the United States and other countries. The psychological and cultural scars of these events have been long-lasting, contributing to the collective memory and identity of Jewish diaspora communities.
Are pogroms still a concern in modern times?
While the term "pogrom" is most closely associated with historical events, similar types of ethnic violence can and do occur in contemporary times. Modern-day pogroms or pogrom-like violence can be seen in various parts of the world, often as part of ethnic cleansing or sectarian conflict. The international community, human rights organizations, and governments work to prevent such violence, but challenges remain in ensuring the safety of vulnerable populations.
Katika HistoricalIndex, tumejitolea kutoa habari sahihi, ya kuaminika. Maudhui yetu yaliyoandikwa na wataalamu ni ya kweli-kuchunguzwa kwa ukali na inatokana na mamlaka ya kuaminika. Gundua jinsi tunavyotegemeza viwango vya juu zaidi katika kukupa maarifa ya kuaminika. Kwa ufupi, mauaji ya kimbari ni tendo la jeuri ya wingi au mauaji ya wingi ya kikundi fulani cha watu. "Kama neno la Kirusi ""kuharibu kwa jeuri au ghasia"" limetumika hasa kwa mauaji ya Wayahudi, labda kwa sababu ya mara nyingi ya mauaji dhidi yao." "Pogromu ni ""harakati ya kuua watu, na pia ya kuharibu nyumba, biashara, na aina nyingine za maisha ya kila siku na utamaduni.""" Katika historia yote, Wayahudi wameteseka kutokana na mauaji ya kikatili yaliyofanywa na vikundi mbalimbali kotekote Ulaya. Mshambuliaji huyo alianza Ulaya Mashariki na kuenea magharibi, huku Urusi na Ukraine zikiwa maeneo yenye vurugu nyingi. Wakati wa mauaji hayo, madhehebu au kikundi fulani kilikuwa shabaha na kushambuliwa vikali. Biashara ziliporwa, nyumba ziliharibiwa, vijiji vilivyoharibiwa, na mara nyingi watu walikufa mikononi mwa washambuliaji. Katika kesi ya Wayahudi, mauaji hayo yaliendelea kwa miongo kadhaa baada ya mauaji ya kwanza yaliyoripotiwa nchini Urusi katika miaka ya 1880, na hivyo kuendeleza upinzani wa Wayahudi na hatimaye kukamilika katika yale Maangamizi Makubwa. Katika Ujerumani ya Nazi, shughuli za mauaji ya kimbari ziliendelea chini ya utawala wa Hitler, ingawa Hitler mwenyewe alikataza jeuri hiyo isiyo na utaratibu. Lakini mara nyingi majeshi ya Nazi na polisi wa Ujerumani waliruhusu ghasia hizo zifanyike, na nyakati nyingine hata ziliwatia moyo. "Kristo ya kwanza ya ""Kristallnacht"" ilitokea mwaka 1938 na ilisababisha uharibifu wa makutaniko 2,000 na mauaji ya Wayahudi." Maelfu ya biashara za Wayahudi ziliharibiwa na uhasama dhidi ya Wayahudi ukaenea, ukitoa njia kwa mipango ya Hitler ya kuangamiza Wayahudi. Hata hivyo, katika kipindi hicho, si Wajerumani tu waliowatendea Wayahudi vibaya. "Wananchi wa Poland walipanga ""pogromu baada ya pogrom"" wakati wa vita, hata baada ya vita kumalizika, na kuwafanya Wayahudi waamini kwamba hawangeweza kamwe kuwakaribishwa tena nchini Poland." Baada ya mauaji ya Poland na Urusi, nchi nyingine kama vile Marekani na Uingereza zilipata Wayahudi wengi wakikimbia. Mauaji ya kikatili yalifanyika katika sehemu nyingine za dunia kwa makundi mengine: Sikhs nchini India walivumilia mauaji ya kikatili mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1980, na Waislamu nchini India walilengwa miaka ishirini baadaye. Wagiriki waliuawa na waasi wa Uturuki huko Istanbul mwaka wa 1950. Mwaka 1999 watu wa Kosovo waliwafukuza watu wa kabila la Kialbania na kuwahamisha kutoka katika makazi yao, na kuharibu mali zao na biashara zao. Vikosi vya NATO vilikuwapo lakini havikuingilia kati. Maswali yanayoulizwa mara nyingi Ni nini hasa kinachoitwa pogrom? Pogrom ni ghasia ya kikatili inayolenga mauaji au kufukuzwa kwa kikundi cha kikabila au kidini, haswa moja inayolenga Wayahudi. Neno hilo linatokana na lugha ya Kirusi, ambapo lilitumiwa kuelezea mashambulizi ya kikatili ya watu wa eneo hilo wasio Wayahudi dhidi ya Wayahudi katika Milki ya Urusi. Mauaji hayo hufanywa kwa mauaji, uharibifu wa mali, na jeuri iliyoenea sana, na mara nyingi mamlaka za mahali hapo hujipuuza au hata kushiriki. Kwa kawaida mauaji ya kikatili yalitukia lini? Pogroms ni matukio ya mauaji ya Wayahudi nchini Urusi na Ulaya Mashariki katika karne ya 19 na mapema ya 20. "Kichina ni maarufu kwa sababu ya ""Kishinev pogrom"" ya mwaka 1903 na ""wimbi la pogrom"" lililopiga Ulaya Mashariki baada ya mapinduzi ya Urusi ya mwaka 1917." Matukio hayo yalihusisha jeuri kali sana na yalikuwa na matokeo mabaya sana kwa jumuiya za Kiyahudi. Ni nini kilichosababisha mauaji hayo? Mara nyingi mauaji hayo yalitokana na chuki ya kikabila, mvurugo wa kidini, wivu wa kiuchumi, na msukosuko wa kijamii. Nyakati nyingine zilichochewa na mashtaka ya uwongo, kama vile uchongezi wa damu dhidi ya Wayahudi, au zilichukuliwa na mabadiliko ya kisiasa na matatizo ya kiuchumi. Katika visa vingi, mamlaka za mitaa na serikali zilitumia mauaji ya kikatili kama njia ya kugeuza kutoridhika kwa umma mbali na wao wenyewe na kwenye kikundi cha mbuzi wa dhambi. Mauaji hayo yaliathirije jamii ya Wayahudi? Mauaji hayo yalikuwa na matokeo mabaya sana kwa jamii za Wayahudi, yakisababisha vifo, majeraha makali, uharibifu wa mali, na uhamiaji wa wingi. Ukatili na hofu ilisababisha Wayahudi wengi kukimbia Ulaya Mashariki, na idadi kubwa wakahamia Marekani na nchi nyingine. Majeraha ya kisaikolojia na ya kitamaduni ya matukio haya yamekuwa ya muda mrefu, ikichangia kumbukumbu ya pamoja na utambulisho wa jamii za Kiyahudi za diaspora. Je, mauaji ya kimbari bado ni jambo la kutisha katika nyakati za kisasa? "Wakati mwingine neno ""pogrom"" linahusianishwa na matukio ya kihistoria, lakini aina kama hizo za jeuri ya kikabila zinaweza kutokea katika nyakati za kisasa." Mauaji ya kisasa au vurugu kama za pogrom zinaweza kuonekana katika sehemu mbalimbali za ulimwengu, mara nyingi kama sehemu ya usafi wa kikabila au mgogoro wa madhehebu. Jumuiya ya kimataifa, mashirika ya haki za binadamu na serikali zinajitahidi kuzuia vurugu kama hizo, lakini changamoto zinabaki katika kuhakikisha usalama wa watu walio hatarini.