Open Course: The Beilis Case: A 21st-Century Perspective
Lecturer: Historian and journalist Yurii Korohodskyi Project partner: the Diye-Slovo studio
Date: April 2024
Format: 2 sessions
This two-part course examined the phenomenon of blood libel — false accusations against Jews of ritual murder — and its deep historical and religious roots. Using the infamous Beilis case as a focal point, the course explored how such accusations were weaponized as political propaganda in the Russian Empire.
The blood libel is a biased accusation against Jews, claiming they commit ritual murders and use human organs and blood for sacrifices. The alleged victims were often children. Historically, such accusations have been used as a pretext for massacres of Jews, including pogroms and lynchings. One of the most well-known cases involving blood libel was the Beilis case.
