The Origin of Ashkenazi Jewry

by Van Straten, Jits

• ISBN13: 9783110236057
• ISBN10: 3110236052
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-03-17
• Publisher: De Gruyter

Summary

Where do East European Jews about 90 percent of Ashkenazi Jewry descend from? This book conveys new insights into a century-old controversy. Jits van Straten argues that there is no evidence for the most common assumption that German Jews fled en masse to Eastern Europe to constitute East European Jewry. Dealing with another much debated theory, van Straten points to the fact that there is no way to identify the descendants of the Khazars in the Ashkenazi population. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the author draws heavily on demographic findings which are vital to evaluate the conclusions of modern DNA research. Finally, it is suggested that East European Jews are mainly descendants of Ukrainians and Belarussians.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
List of Figures and Tables	p. xi
The Controversy: Germany or Khazaria
The Germany Hypothesis	p. 1
The Khazaria Hypothesis	p. 2
Matters in Dispute	p. 3
Method	p. 4
The Khazars
Introduction	p. 5
The Khazar Empire	p. 5
Jewish Sources	p. 7
Where Did the Jewish Religion Come From?	p. 9
The Conversion of the Khazars	p. 10
Revolt of the Kabars	p. 15
Fall of the Empire	p. 15
Emigration from Khazaria	p. 17
The Khazars and the Polish-Lithuanian Jews	p. 18
Conclusions	p. 21
The Development of Ashkenazi Jewry by Region (1): France, Germany, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Hungary
Introduction	p. 23
France	p. 24
Germany	p. 36
Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia	p. 54
Hungary	p. 59
Conclusions	p. 63
The Development of Ashkenazi Jewry by Region (2):The Caucasus, The Crimea, Poland, and Lithuania until 1500
Introduction	p. 65
The Caucasus	p. 65
Southern Russia	p. 67
Poland	p. 68
Poland and Southern Russia	p. 71
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth	p. 78
Russia	p. 78
The History According to Weinryb	p. 79
Conclusions	p. 82
The Development of Ashkenazi Jewry by Region (3):Poland, Lithuania, and Russia from 1500 to 1900:The Numerical Increase
Introduction	p. 83
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1500-1772	p. 84
The "Demographic miracle" of the Nineteenth Century	p. 94
DellaPergola's Growth Rates	p. 97
New Approach to the Determination of the Number of Jews
in Eastern Europe in 1500 (and Earlier)	p. 98
Conclusions	p. 108
Yiddish
Introduction	p. 109
The Rhineland Hypothesis	p. 110
The Danube Hypothesis	p. 114
The Bavarian-Czech Hypothesis	p. 115
The Silesian Hypothesis	p. 124
The Sorb Hypothesis	p. 125
A New Situation	p. 125
Conclusions	p. 127
Genetic Research (and Anthropology)
Introduction	p. 129
Anthropological Studies	p. 132
General Molecular Genetic Research	p. 135
Studies with Y Chromosomes	p. 149
Studies with Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)	p. 164
Hereditary "Ashkenazi" Diseases	p. 174
Conclusions	p. 178
The Revised Origin and Development of East European Jewry
Introduction	p. 181
The Origin of East European Jewry	p. 183
The Further Development of East European Jewry	p. 186
Final Conclusions Concerning East European Jews	p. 193
Epilogue	p. 197
Appendix	p. 203
Bibliography	p. 207
Index	p. 223
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