More German than the Germans

The assimilated Jewish community in Germany, prior to World War II, is claimed by Wikipedia to have been described as "more German than the Germans". The assimilation of German Jews, following the Enlightenment, is stated to have been extensive. Many European Jews are stated to have regarded Germany as a particularly desirable place to live, in comparison to Eastern Europe, with more anti-Semitism, contributing to Jewish immigration to Germany.

Such assimilation was not necessarily something seen as positive by all Jewish groups, such as Orthodox Jews and Zionist Jews preferring that Jews should move to Palestine. Originally, the phrase was a "common sneer aimed at people" who had abandoned "the faith of their forefathers". Also German National Socialists may not necessarily have viewed assimilation as something positive, as compared to Jews being segregated, such as was the case before the Enlightenment, for reasons such as possibly increasing Jewish influence.

Origin

Originally, the comment was a "common sneer aimed at people" who had "thrown off the faith of their forefathers and adopted the garb of their Fatherland". The German assimilation, following The Enlightenment, was "unprecedented" The phrase is sometimes ascribed to the Zionist and first President of Israel Chaim Weizmann.

Background

Following The Enlightenment, many European Jews regarded Germany as a particularly desirable place to live, "a place of refuge, in comparison to Russia and Romania" where antisemitism was extremely virulent and violent, and even France, where the Enlightenment had begun. German Jews began to immerse themselves in German culture and the arts, playing a full and even leading role in society. By the twentieth century, the German Jews had reached a state of "Bildung & Besitz", ie cultivation and wealth.

Examples

A notable example of this was Kurt Singer (born 1885, died in Terezin concentration camp, 1944), "a conductor, musician, musicologist, and neurologist". Singer was described by his daughter as "more German than the Germans" – he earned an Iron Cross for his gallantry in World War I, was music editor for a Berlin newspaper and published research on music.

Another cited example is Nikolaus Pevsner, who was "more German than the Germans" to the extent that he supported "Goebbels in his drive for “pure” non-decadent German art". and was reported as saying of the National Socialists (in 1933) "I want this movement to succeed. There is no alternative but chaos... There are things worse than Hitlerism".

See also

• Weimar Republic: Jewish influence and anti-Semitism
• Wir Juden - 1934 book by a Jewish Zionist stated to dislike Jewish assimilation and to support some National Socialist anti-assimilation policies.