Summary of article History of provocation.
The use of provocations as casus belli or as legitimisation of violence, pogroms and propaganda against ethnic and religious groups, and disinformation in order to lead the media astray both at home and abroad are not new phenomena in the political arena. They have a long tradition especially in Russia, from the anti-Semitic propaganda that once spread all over Europe to the present-day disinformation concerning the Chechens. The extraordinarily strong position of the secret police in Russian political culture can partly explain this gloomy side of Moscow's policies. Antero Leitzinger's article enlightens the use of these methods against Jews and Muslims throughout history.