The smallest Polish minority - The Karaims

Scholary Paper aus dem Jahr 2006 im Fachbereich Soziologie - Religion, einseitig bedruckt, Note: 5 (Erasmus), which is escellent, Universitas Wratislaviensis, Veranstaltung: Languages and Nations in East-Central Europe in the 21st Century, 8 Eintragungen im Literaturverzeichnis, Sprache: Englisch, Anmerkungen: Die Karaim (oder Karaiten) sind eine spezielle Erscheinung als kleinste Minderheit in Polen und anderen osteuropäischen Staaten: Sie sind zwar türkischstämmig, gehören also zu den Turkvölkern, sind jedoch jüdischen Glaubens. In Polen leben heute schätzungsweise gerade mal noch zwischen 40 und 50 Karaiten, was sie zur kleinsten Minderheit macht. This Text is about the Karaim, the smallest minority in several countries of eastern Europe. Karaim are of turkisch descent but have jewish faith. , Abstract: If one concerns oneself in Polish and Eastern European minorities and if one looks at the numbers of different minority groups, one group at the end of the list catches ones eye: The Karaim, or Karaites. This minority group exists, depending on the source, of only 40-50 people. The name differs, in some sources they are called Karaim, in others Karaites. In the following chapters I will call them Karaim, as I found out during my research, that they call themselves Karaim or in Eastern Europe also Qaray. Moreover, Karaim is also closer to its origin, but more about this in one of the following chapters. Polands Karaims had since centuries disliked to be called Karaites, as it meant "black dog". Very special is the Karaim's religion, Judaism as they are ethnically turksPoland is a ethnically most homogenious state, which was not always so in Poland' s history. Poles are with 99,3 % the Majority. The different Minorities in Poland are, according to the 2002 census: Among ethnic groups Silesians and Germans are the largest minorities, 172.6 thousand of Polish citizens declare Silesian national identity and 147.1 thousand, German. The third and the fourth linguistic minorities are, respectively, Belorussians, 47.6 thousand, and Ukrainians, 27.2 thousand. The Gypsies appear in fifth position with 12.7 thousand. They are followed by the historical minorities which number from 5 to 10 thousand people: Ruthenians/Lemkos- 5.8 thousand, Lithuanians - 5.6 thousand, and Kashbus - 5.1 thousand. Next there are minor communities like Russians - 3.2 thousand, Slovaks (1.7 thousand), Jews (1.1 thousand), Tartars (0.5 thousand), Czechs (0.4 thousand), Armenians (0.3 thousand) and in last place the Karaim with only 50. At this point I must add, that other sources mention other numbers. Some only 40, others 150.Karaim Judaism is a Jewish denomination characterized by reliance on the Tanakh as the sole scripture, and rejection of the Oral Law (the Mishnah and the Talmud) as halakha (Legally Binding, i.e. required religious practice). The word Karaim comes from the Hebrew word (Qraim), meaning "Readers (of Scripture)". This name was chosen by the adherents of Karaim Judaism to distinguish themselves from the adherents of Rabbinic Judaism.