Fascist mobilization · Romania · Interwar years
The Iron Guard combined Christian-nationalist language with political antisemitism and violence.
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Interwar years
Fascist mobilization · A movement makes hatred a national mission
The Iron Guard combined Christian-nationalist language with political antisemitism and violence.
Citizenship does not settle acceptance
The postwar Romanian state expanded citizenship, but nationalist opposition to Jewish equality persisted. In universities and political movements, Jews could still be described as an alien threat. The legal change did not prevent organized groups from campaigning to reverse its consequences.
The Iron Guard’s enemy
The Iron Guard presented the nation through an exclusionary Christian-nationalist vision. Jews were portrayed as corrupting politics and controlling economic life. These were collective accusations, not evidence of a unified Jewish agenda. The movement used them to mobilize followers and legitimize coercion.
An accusation with material consequences
Boycotts, violence and pressure for exclusion endangered livelihoods and education. Antisemitism was useful to people seeking political authority and economic advantage. The claim to defend the nation concealed the immediate victims: local families whose rights and safety were deliberately narrowed.