The Accusation of Zionism: Anti-Semitic Stereotypes in Polish and Czech Communist Propaganda

The article concerns the anti-Semitic rhetoric employed during the trial of Rudolf Slánský in 1952 and the Polish Political Crisis of March 1968. In both cases, the accusation of Zionism meant a propagandistic revival of the anti-Jewish stereotype. The ideological schizophrenia called for the condemnation of Zionism along with anti-Semitism, but in fact a xenophobic stereotype prevailed. In both cases, Polish and Czechoslovak anti-Semitism took the form of a coded message, hidden in various suggestions, allusions and unstated messages, which were clear and unambiguous for the recipient. This article is focused on their analysis.