The Translation of the Bible and its Impact on Germany and the Jews
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Mellisa Toddings
College:
The College of Health Professions and Human Services
Major:
Holocaust and Genovide Studies (M.A.)
Faculty Research Advisor(s):
Adara Goldberg
Abstract:
Martin Luther is credited with translating the bible from Latin to German. While not an accomplishment he alone was able to accomplish, Luther was the mastermind behind translating the bible into lay terms that were accessible to Germans. This was a significant event in the course of history for religious reasons and cultural reasons. It allowed ordinary Germans to engage in God’s word directly with their own interpretations of scripture and contributed to the development of the German language. While there were positive aspects of this act, there were also long lasting negative impacts. Luther’s later antisemitic writings now intertwined with a German bible paired discriminatory messaging with the teaching of the bible. The relationship between the translation of the bible within the cultural landscape of Germany and the spread of antisemitism throughout Germany will be examined in this study. This research also aims to examine the impacts on Germanic speaking Jews and their reaction to this development and will consider the possibility of positive elements of this event and its impact on the Jews.