The article explores the events known as the “pimp pogrom,” which took place in Warsaw in May 1905, as presented by the Jewish press. The analysis of the sources has provided new insights into the events, which were very complex in their nature. For many years, the Jewish community of Warsaw struggled with a problem of prostitution and white slavery. The inaction of the Russian authorities and police as well as the ineffectiveness of abolitionist organizations provoked the feeling of hopelessness and evoked a rank-and-file initiative of the Jewish working class. The pre-revolutionary turmoil only accelerated the explosion of violence against the marginalized and suspicious elements of the society.
The article explores the events known as the “pimp pogrom,” which took place in Warsaw in May 1905, as presented by the Jewish press. The analysis of the sources has provided new insights into the events, which were very complex in their nature. For many years, the Jewish community of Warsaw struggled with a problem of prostitution and white slavery. The inaction of the Russian authorities and police as well as the ineffectiveness of abolitionist organizations provoked the feeling of hopelessness and evoked a rank-and-file initiative of the Jewish working class. The pre-revolutionary turmoil only accelerated the explosion of violence against the marginalized and suspicious elements of the society.
