Six issues of the early virulent anti-Semitic biweekly Kikeriki. Vienna – Austria. 1902. Countless grotesque caricatures, poems, and articles against the Jews.
Issue No. 1 dated January 2, 1902. (The first issue issued in 1902).
Issue No. 14 dated February 16, 1902.
Issue No. 15 dated February 20, 1902.
Issue No. 86 dated October 26, 1902.
Issue No. 88 dated November 2, 1902.
Issue No. 89 dated November 6, 1902.
All six issues are full of poems, articles, anti-Semitic cartoons – throughout entire issues. The Jew with the beard and the sidelocks is shown in the issues in the most ridiculous way, consistently across all the pages of the newspaper. Anti-Semitic cartoons often appear on the pages of the newspaper without any context and without description – a mocking illustration of a Jew with the aim of spreading hatred for Jews only. The Kikeriki was the most virulent antisemitic bi-weekly published at that time in the world, and it was among the only newspapers whose entire trend was directed exclusively against Jews. Even in “news” or “articles” that appeared in it by the way, the editor always found a place to write against the Jews. (See below). For example, issue number 1 shows on the title page a Jew sitting in a café when a waiter approaches him with an issue of the Kikeriki newspaper and the saying attributed to the Jew: “Ugh, this is not a café for me”, and hurries away. On the title page of issue 86 that appears here, there is a poem condemning the Jews calling for the murder of Jews, no less: “Take the sword out of its sheath, look how Judah trembles in cowardice! Wake up German, build the blades…”. On the title page of issue 88, which appears here, there is an entire section addressing the German farmer and describing to him how the Jew is to blame for the plight of the farmers “The pretending Jew who crept around you with lies and deceit, his dry hand is clenched, oh how hard he hit”, alongside a cartoon showing the The election results in the form of a Jew flying out. In the same issue appears a cartoon demonstrating the “Juda family” living at the expense of others, as well as a large cartoon of Satan capturing the “Jewish coalition” in the form of a crocodile with four Jewish heads, and in the other issues before us there are many cartoons against the Jews without any restraint.
The Kikeriki was a bi-weekly antisemitic magazine published in Vienna, Austria, from 1861 to 1933. The editor of the paper was Ottokar Franz Ebersberg, a journalist and playwright who wrote under the pseudonym O. F. Berg. The Kikeriki was very popular among the German population, and at its peak reached a circulation of 25,000 copies. In its early years, the newspaper took a liberal line, but starting in the 1890s and early 20th centuries, under the influence of Karl Luger, the newspaper became the most vehement antisemitic publication published in the world in general, and it focused exclusively on hatred of Jews. In each issue, many antisemitic cartoons appeared which depicted the Jew in the ugliest way, alongside articles and hate sentences condemning the Jews. The subjects of the cartoons focused mainly on denigrating the “innate qualities” of the Jew, his pursuit of greed, his greed, his cowardice (dodging military service), and his dangerousness. The Newspaper repeatedly described “Jewish control” in the press, in politics, and in other areas of life. Every week, the newspaper repeatedly featured “the hopeless Jew” over all its pages.
The Kikeriki was the first newspaper to publish the famous cartoon in which the Jew is seen hugging the earth with his blood-drenched hands – a cartoon that later appeared in countless antisemitic publications – a cartoon that was embraced by the Nazi propagandists with both hands. The newspaper saw itself as the representative of the “antisemites” and in many of its issues appeared articles addressing the “antisemites” as the main target audience of the newspaper. For example, in issue 89, which appears here from November 6, 1902, on page 4, under a large heading in huge black letters, it is written: “Attention Antisemites!” It appears: “Any honest antisemite whose final salvation from the witchcraft of Jewish literature is dear to him buys and distributes the following antisemitic publications:” and a list of antisemitic books appears and their price in large quantities for distribution. When all the antisemitic publications appearing in the list are distributed at the distribution offices of the Kikeriki in Vienna at Grunangergasse 6. Also in various issues on some pages of the newspaper it is written at the bottom of the page: “Like-minded people demanded the Kikeriki in all restaurants and cafes!”. The Nazi propagandists made great use of the Kikeriki issues and adopted many of the cartoons that appeared in it in their war against the Jews.
Six complete issues. Overall good condition.
