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The Farhud: The Pogrom That Changed Jewish History in Iraq

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The Farhud was a violent anti-Jewish pogrom that took place in Iraq on 1-2 June 1941, during the Jewish festival of Shavuot. The word Farhud is Arabic for "violent dispossession" or "pogrom."

 

For more than 2,500 years, Jews had lived in Mesopotamia—modern-day Iraq—forming one of the oldest and most significant Jewish communities in the world. By 1941, approximately 180,000 Jews lived in Iraq, with nearly 90,000 residing in Baghdad, making up some 40% of the capital.

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Against the backdrop of World War II, rising Arab nationalism, and growing Nazi influence in the Middle East, a pro-Axis coup brought Rashid Ali al-Gaylani to power in Iraq. Nazi propaganda spread widely throughout the country, fueling antisemitism and portraying Jews as enemies of the state.

 

When the coup collapsed and the Regent returned to Baghdad, many Jews believed the danger had passed. Instead, armed soldiers, policemen, youth militias, and civilians turned on the Jewish community.

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Over two days of terror, Jewish homes and businesses were looted, women were assaulted, and entire neighbourhoods were attacked. Official figures recorded 180 Jews murdered and more than 200 injured, though many historians believe the true number of victims was considerably higher. Thousands of Jewish families suffered devastating losses.

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The Farhud shattered the sense of security that Iraqi Jews had known for generations. Although many remained in Iraq for another decade, the pogrom marked the beginning of the end for one of the world's oldest Jewish communities. By 1951, the overwhelming majority of Iraqi Jews had been forced to leave their homeland.

 

Today, the Farhud stands as a reminder that antisemitism was not confined to Europe during the Holocaust era. It was a defining tragedy in the history of Middle Eastern Jewry and a pivotal event that transformed the lives of Iraqi Jews forever.

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The Farhud Project is dedicated to preserving the memory of the victims, educating future generations, and ensuring that this often-overlooked chapter of Jewish history is never forgotten.