Klarinet Archive - Posting 000407.txt from 2004/01

From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Wagner
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 09:03:09 -0500

Audrey Travis wrote:

> Please post the references (translated to English). I'd like to check them
> myself.
>
> Thanks, Dan.
>
> Audrey
>
> Dan Leeson wrote:
>
>
>>
>>A strongly-held medieval notion was that Jews, being the minions of
>>Satan, had the feet of goats. And because their feet were so formed,
>>they could not walk well. They stumbled and fell frequently. This
>>deformity was kept secrect because the Jews wore boots covering their
>>cloven feett. (I'm not making this up. If you wish, I'll give you
>>references in 4 languages to this commonly held belief.)
>>
>

Audry, the best book on the subject and be found in any good library.
It's called "The Jew's Body" by Professor Sander Gilman, the Henry R.
Luce Distinguished Service Professor of the Liberal Arts in Human
Biology and Chair of the Department of Germanic Studies at the
University of Chicago.

In that book, he goes into considerable detail about the extent of the
medieval (and even contemporary) beliefs about various elements of the
body of the Jew. Even today, one hears the expression, "Jewish nose,"
but the fact is that in medieval eras, every single part of the Jew's
body was considered damaged, or unique, or special.

Jew's eyes were considered weak, Jew's noses were considered big and
hawk shaped, Jew's feet were considered as being cloven like a goat,
there was a distinct smell to the Jew and it even had a specific name,
"The Jewish Stink," (the Foetor Judaicus), something that also appears
in three out of four of the Ring operas, etc., etc. Let me assure you
that it is not easy or pleasant reading. But it is all there. In the
case of the Jewish stink, the Wagner operas have the characters of the
Volk very much perfumed and sweet smelling, while the unvolk have a
sulpherous stink constantly surrounding them.

And in Germany from 1932 until 1945, there were distinct physical
characteristics of the forehead, the facial structure, etc. that enabled
Jews to be discovered if they were hiding in non-Jewish populations.

All of this was, of course, phony anthropology, but an entire nation
(and in some cases, such as the nose), an entire continent believed its
truth.

Have you ever heard the expression, "That's funny. You don't look
Jewish." What do you think they are talking about?

This conversation about Wagner has gone on too long. I didn't start it,
but only answered a question about why I don't perform or listen to
Wagner. I don't mind discussing this offline, but I think it is a topic
whose details do not belong on a public list, even though the
performance of Wagner (or the composer as a bigot) is very much a topic
for any musical list. So if there is something else, please get to me
off line.

Thankss

>
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--
Dan Leeson
leeson0@-----.net

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