L’articolo analizza la relazione tra conversione al cattolicesimo e nascita dell’an­tisemitismo cattolico nella Francia dell’Ottocento. Esamina in particolare la vicen­da dei fratelli Joseph (1836-1915) e Augustin Lémann (1836-1909), ebrei con­vertiti, divenuti sacerdoti cattolici e zelanti antisemiti, autori di pamphlet e opere storiche sulla Francia di ispirazione antiebraica, e di Edouard Drumont, capofila dell’antisemitismo francese, tornato al cattolicesimo delle origini, e autore dell’op­era di grande influenza, La France juive (1886). Nelle opere di questi autori si reg­istra il passaggio dall’antigiudaismo all’antisemitismo cattolico e il loro intreccio.

Parole chiave: antisemitismo, conversione, Joseph Lémann, Augustin Lémann, Edouard Drumont.The article analyzes the relationship between conversion to Catholicism and the birth of Catholic anti-Semitism in nineteenth-century France. It examines in par­ticular the paths of the brothers Joseph (1836-1915) and Augustin Lémann (1836- 1909), converted Jews, who became Catholic priests and active anti-Semites. They were also the authors of pamphlets and historical works on France, inspired by anti-Semitism. The article also examines the story of Edouard Drumont, one of the leaders of French anti-Semitism, who returned to the Catholicism of his origins and was the author of the highly influential La France juive (1886). In these au­thors’ work, one may note the transition from anti-Judaism to Catholic anti-Sem­itism, and their intertwinement.

Keywords: anti-Semitism, conversion, Joseph Lémann, Augustin Lémann, Edouard Drumont.