Farhud — anti-Jewish massacres (pogroms) that took place in Baghdad (Iraq) in 1941
The Farhud was a violent anti-Jewish pogrom in Baghdad that killed over 180 people and accelerated the eventual departure of Jews from Iraq.
Key Facts
- Deaths
- More than 180 Jews killed
- Injured
- Approximately 1,000 Jews injured
- Homes destroyed
- 900 Jewish homes destroyed
- Dates
- 1–2 June 1941
- Trigger event
- British victory in Anglo-Iraqi War
- Coinciding holiday
- Jewish holiday of Shavuot
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The collapse of Rashid Ali al-Gaylani's pro-Fascist, pro-Nazi government following the British victory in the Anglo-Iraqi War created a power vacuum in Baghdad. Axis and pro-Axis elements exploited the resulting instability, and allegations spread that Iraqi Jews had aided the British, fueling communal hostility and setting the conditions for violence.
On 1–2 June 1941, rioters carried out a pogrom against Baghdad's Jewish population while the city lacked effective governing authority. More than 180 Jews were killed, roughly 1,000 were injured, Jewish property was looted, and 900 Jewish homes were destroyed. Some non-Jewish rioters were also killed as authorities attempted to suppress the violence.
The Farhud shocked Iraq's Jewish community and prompted an initial wave of emigration, though many who left soon returned. Permanent large-scale Jewish emigration from Iraq did not accelerate markedly until 1950–1951, culminating in the 1951–1952 exodus. The event is frequently cited as an extension of Axis-inspired antisemitic violence beyond Europe, though its precise classification within Holocaust history remains debated.