Popes and antisemitism

[Revert2Christ]

Hi,

today in history class, we talked about antisemitism in Germany in the 19th and early 20th century. When our teacher asked if we could name reasons for why so many people in our country disliked the Jews, I said that many Popes in the past, for example Leo XIII had antisemitic views.

I regretted this immediately after saying it, and I don’t understand how I could possibly say something as stupid as this.
My question is: Is this something I should mention in my next confession?

 

[Barbkw]

catholicleague.org/research/kertzer.htm

 

[Glorthac]

Technically, since you said it without really believing it, you said it without real consent. If you thought about it for a second, you wouldn’t have said it. So I don’t think it’s necessary to confess, but then again, I’m not you, only you can know if you should confess it or not.

As for why there was anti-semitism in Germany, I’ve been reading “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” lately, and it basically said that although Europe has always been anti-semitic (even the Romans were in many ways), Germany had a burst of anti-semitism because of the “stab-in-the-back” theory which was prevalent back in 1920-30s Germany.

When Germany surrendered in WW1, many people thought they could have won, since the military was still strong and in some cases winning, but supposedly the Jews in the political sphere got the government to surrender anyway.

Many Germans believed the Jews stabbed them in the back, and so wanted revenge.