An Hour a Jew

In Central Europe, antisemitism is rejected and condemned by broad social consensus. Yet, as author Kurt Oesterle demonstrates in detail in his anthology Eine Stunde ein Jude – Geschichten gegen Antisemitismus (An Hour a Jew – Stories Against Antisemitism), hostility toward Jews remains omnipresent. In this work, published at the end of 2021, Oesterle succeeds in presenting striking and vivid examples that reveal the many different facets of antisemitism. With great precision, he situates them within their historical context and describes their impact on our society. The collected stories not only provoke reflection but also appeal to the conscience of the reader.

In his foreword, Oesterle outlines the intention of the book: antisemitism must not be regarded merely as a problem of “others,” but as an issue that concerns everyone. He clarifies that the goal is not to re-educate committed antisemites. Rather, through the selected contributions, he seeks to reach those who may be unaware of the implications of their words, offering guidance to overcome prejudices and to understand the gravity of antisemitic behavior.

A Web of Hostility Across Time and Societies

The authors of the collected texts are non-Jewish and address various aspects of anti-Jewish resentment. Their contributions and stories stem from different decades—all from before the Second World War—and describe diverse cultural contexts, ranging from aristocratic families in Germany to immigrants from the deserts of the Middle East. Personal testimonies, novels, parables, and even theatrical scripts are presented side by side. All share the same core theme: antisemitism. The collection reveals how pervasive hostility toward Jews has been—and continues to be—in various countries and regions around the world, from the past to the present.

What is missing from the anthology, however, are accounts from the Nazi era. As a result, the arc of antisemitism from “then” to “now” remains incomplete. The inclusion of contemporary reports would have further enriched the volume, making today’s openly expressed or subtly embedded antisemitism more tangible for readers.

At times, the contextualization of the contributions goes too far. Kurt Oesterle comments on each text with regard to the author’s approach and writing style and incorporates elements of social criticism. The contextual analysis, including research and additional explanations, occupies considerably more space than the original contributions themselves. Oesterle draws not only on academically established findings but also advances his own assumptions. Consequently, readers are given limited room to form their own judgments. Nevertheless, the abundance of additional information allows readers to adopt new perspectives and reassess their own viewpoints.

A central appeal of the book is directed at academia: according to Oesterle, research on this subject is still insufficient, and he calls upon scholars to use this book as an impetus for further investigation. Given current developments, he argues, the urgency of engaging with this issue could hardly be greater.

Conclusion

Antisemitism remains a serious problem in our global society. For this reason, the message of Eine Stunde ein Jude is all the more significant. The book confronts us with the injustice and hatred that Jews have faced throughout history and continue to face today. Kurt Oesterle succeeds in combining knowledge with engaging storytelling—a blend that makes the book both compelling and educational. He writes in a clear and accessible style and explains terms that may not be widely understood in footnotes, making the work approachable even for lay readers.

However, contemporary contributions addressing present-day antisemitism are lacking. Their inclusion could have illustrated more clearly the transformation of antisemitism up to the present day.

Dr. Jessica D.S. Knall Seemeyer & Mona-Lou Henschel