CEU eTD Collection JEWISH POLITICALIDENTITYININTERWAR YUGOSLAVIA: In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Advisor: Professor Michael L. Miller Nationalism StudiesProgram Central European University Central European Whose Flag to Whose Flag Hoist? Budapest, Hungary Budapest, Petra Jurlina Master of Arts Submitted to Submitted 2008 By CEU eTD Collection Bibliography Appendix 6. Conclusion 5 OurJews andOther Jews 4 OntheQuestion of Jewish nationality 3. Assimilation is actors,for notJews –debates ontheassimilationist lifestyles 2 Keeping upwith Herzl–Zionismofthe South Slav Lands 1. Introduction . h aaeodsue...... 80 5.2 The ...... Sarajevo dispute 5.1 Origin 75 of differences...... aon a ...... 48 ...... 3.3 Narodni rad 3.2 Ashkenazic Zionism vs. Sephardic 31 Diaspora Nationalism...... 26 1904)...... 3.1 The Zionism Lavoslav of Schick andtheFirst Zionist in Congress Croatia (Osijek, 11 1.1 Setting the scene...... 88 ...... 90 ...... 83 ...... 5 ...... 74 ...... Table ofContents ...... 62 ...... 15 ...... 23 ...... CEU eTD Collection destructive tendencies, while others see us as wantingsneak to into nationalthe lines. of advocates German culture, of Forsome wearespreaders national interest. to holdingwithdrawal our feelingagainstus; thatwepossesno norsense itwhen comes position as a sin;for we’rerepublicans others and separatists; is thirdparty the everything that’s holy people the to anger whose will eventually catch upwith us. of fun making are who state; the of enemies the with sympathize always who abroad; from powers to servants interest; own our for only working elements non-national For some we’re capitalists, for others Bolsheviks; some see our centralist seeour some Bolsheviks; others for capitalists, we’re some For the folk; common the of advantage the taking by richer getting ones the We’re Zagreb, May 20 1919 Židov , CEU eTD Collection be tedious I owe to Professor Andrea Feldman. history not and about canwrite thatone The realization dissertation. his doctoral of chapter me upfor coffee, Emil andProfessor Kerenji University at the Michigan forof sharing a Acknowledgements research, but also explained the difference between aSephardic anAshkenazic and between also difference the explained but research, kindly mewith provided not only a place towork, numerous advice my andguidance through my thoughts. friends and colleagues without whom the past yearin Budapest would be worth very little. And last, thanks to Professor Ivo Goldstein from Zagreb for finding the time to meet to time the finding for Zagreb from Goldstein Ivo Professor to thanks last, And Because this thesis is in a lot of ways a story of circles of friends, I dedicate it to I am grateful to Mrs. Julija Koš at the JewishmyMany thanks to Michael Professor advisor, thesis L.for Miller, helpingme gather Council's library in Zagreb who has 4 sholet . my CEU eTD Collection 1 identities” of the time: a Zionist (Ashkenazi or Sephardic) who devoted his or her free time or some political be “Jewish we can say be. sureabout it With a certainty what should Jewishaudience. Belgrade’s or Sarajevo’s was readby paper Zagreb’s, whether the timethe focused on what washappening in Germany, Russia andelsewhere, regardless of assimilation, anti-Semitism rising butthe newspapers of 1930swhen the of all Jewishthe of or Zionism not was end in the two the united What culture. Hungarian or German left behind after the “old”opposing Spanish-Portuguese, likeJewish the some worlds, two camps, that seemed to end of the Ottoman opposing two the were wars the in between period the during Empire, region in the life political and the Central of Jewish markedmost the that difference all.distinctive mostEuropean havemetat The not probably one, rooted in ledwork, by if representatives the who, hadnot metas they students in Vienna, would Židov, Zagreb's Zionist weekly (1917-1941) Since this thesis examines Jewish political identity, it seems fair to try and define and try to fair seems it identity, political Jewish examines thesis this Since In 1919 The Federation of Jewish Religious Communities of Yugoslavia started its JewishIn 1919 Communities Federation started of The Religious Yugoslavia Slav lands unit among worldalthough longbefelt the warofYugoslavia before Jews a the to special themselves Jewry, connected A new neverbefore of kind came intoJewry had existed existence,1918, one that by Thethe unification of Serbs, Croats and Slovenesfact united Jews living among them as well. they all come from the same, South 1 . 1. Introduction and my own problem was political. Purely political! Purely political. was problem my own and 5 Being a Jew had become my own problem, Hannah Arendt, The Jewish Writings CEU eTD Collection large number of Jews from all over the Empire migrated to these parts. from residence in Slavonia, Croatia and the Military Frontier. During the nineteenth century a all fairly origin of endrecent –until of the eighteenththe century,been Jewshad banned through through language,their Ladino ( relations with in surroundingthe population ofmaintaining spite astrong Jewish identity into lands Slav South the andingood asalready well-rooted former wereself-perceived or a modern, (semi)assimilated Ashkenazi from a town like Zagreb or Osijek in Slavonia. The Serbia South Belgrade in (Macedonia) Sarajevo, or community as traditional Split, Sephardic from came somebody whether a itstill mattered but a crucial Maybe not difference, which i.e. part of camefrom,whichYugoslavia one of shapedits three capitals the identity. life. political non-Jewish strictly mainstream, into over cross is to respect this choice and presentfair thinkidentity seems hadnoonlythingthat they they would likethe Jewish to(anymore), their cases as examplesitclear andmade converted As them of some asJews)? attacked (since were they too identity of what were the results of the Jewish ofacertain as representatives be treated like this people Should handy? when itwas such, although his found opponents political it usehis“origin” convenientto him, against Zionists’. non-Zionist as‘the Zionists morethe ardent by called were who and Levant the to moving in interest real no had who but nationalism), Zionism what their non-Jewish co-nationals found in Yugoslavism (or Serbian or Croatian found in who indeed those or lifestyle); political an alternative (also socialism embraced and nationalism from Jewish away turned who people cause; national/ist theJewish for work non-Jewish in butnone life period, political Yugoslav the interwar asactual politicians) to and Jewish inwomen both were prominent he; a there it was case which career (in an entire The story of Jewish identity yearsThe story identity in is alsovery of much by inter-war Jewish characterized somebodydid notis thought of him/herself tag itfairHowever, as as Jewishwho to Ĉ udezmo ) and religious piety piety ) andreligious werein thewhile latter 1918 6 CEU eTD Collection in Croatia. in Secondof the World War, “1941- AYear toRemember” wasamong topthe five purchased and/or booksread 3 Radi u Vinkovcimaiokolici Židovi populaciji Bernard Stulli, 2 wassomethingthathappenedHolocaust in Poland) Germany or historiography in general sometimes refrain from using the term, preferring to believe that the or if (even textbooks most in theHolocaust perished of these remainspeople that today, and that number little largerthe than minority a Jewish was once there awareness the at ends War of its people. For the most part this knowledge of generations born after the Second World of no littlememory invery history knowledgeex-Yugoslavia orthecollective Jewish of the stories that were either havefollowed by waysdiscourse in break-upandnationalistthe putasidedifferent own their uninteresting or did not fit into mainstreamtowns, villages and regions across the country. historiography particular on imprint Jewish the rediscovered have who alike, non-Jews and origin’) Jewish there is contributions to the Jewish past of the South Slav landsexceedinbibliographical not apageMost all wouldsections. puttogether these titles of have come from Jews (or people ‘of and laymen haveheld for the Jewish histories of their respective ex-Yugoslav countries. Still, scholars interest to comes itmore when diverse somewhat things are later, years thirty almost 1970s.Today, inlate Jewsbook on the she conductedresearch of which Yugoslavia for the her opens Freidenreich Harriet how is this - country” their of Jews the to attention scant paid For the most Forthe of part 2007/2008 literary book-market season, Slavko Goldstein's autobiographical reminiscence Alen Budaj, Alen ü onJewish history of Biha u Veloj Luci od1937. do1943. Since both the experience of post-WWII attempts at Yugoslav nation-building Yugoslav at attempts post-WWII of experience the both Since have scholars Yugoslav and Yugoslavia, about little very know historians “Jewish [Jews Croatia:in Migrations and Changes inJewish Population], Zvonko Mari Vallis Judaea :povijest požeške židovskezajednice Židovi uDubrovniku [Jewsof ItsSurrounding],Vinkovci and and many includingother, a bookby Nikola ü , a townin Western Bosnia, still in making. [Harbourof RescueJews VelaLuka– in 1937-1943], Tomo Šali , Melita Švob, Melita , Židovi uHrvatskoj- migracije ipromjene užidovskoj 7 2 [Vallis Judaea: History of JewishPožega], 3 . þLü , Luka spasa, ü , Židovi CEU eTD Collection Publication Society of 1979),America, 169 -170. 4 State/s: new Slavic the in Jews for about was all it what describes nicely author the book, her of middle the in somewhere paragraph In aconcise Slavonia). rule (Croatia, under Austro-Hungarian the parts Slav South the or Serbia independent Bosnia, Ottoman the it be in, evolved they environment exclusively and thus periodmy in at became the Kingdom inter-war looks the Yugoslavia that of thesis helps to understand theFreidenreich specifics whichof Jewish follows mentioned already were the politics an outline in relations of Jewish to thepresence in three biggest capitalsinaccessible. and completely strange what washitherto andyet capital) Croatia’s of what town, home my of spaces public the to (sometimes region same the to related time same topic weresparkedby not only learncuriosity somethingisto more, butsomething that at the outside theoneprovided by inpublic 1990s, education the interest the and motivation for this Harriet Pass Freidenreich, themselves a special niche in Serbian or Bosnian Bosnian nichein society or a special Serbian themselves for had carved who theSephardim, assuch,beto than accepted failed to generally andbecomemorethisYugoslavia tothe Ashkenazimwho applied tried to Croats In culture. surrounding the into fully themselves integrate never could they realized who Jews for alternative an provided Zionism nationalism. Jewish of growth the for in amonglarge very roots establishing allowedat andthus population Jewish the deep succeeded never It century. twentieth in the primarily developed Slavic nationalities the with themselves identify to trend The suspect. hence and foreign desirable. TheJewretained Hungarian German loyalties who mightbeor regardedas neither of as was nor Czechoslovakia, advisable course Yugoslavia andaction this such states, successor in but the Magyar nationalities, or German the with themselves affiliate to tempted been had Jews the Empire, Austro-Hungarian former the In thesis this of writing the throughout entirely my side at remained have that Works As Imyself belong(ed) majority tothe of people with noknowledge of histories The Jews ofYugoslavia – A Quest for Community Jews of Yugoslavia: A QuestforCommunity ofYugoslavia:Jews 8 4 . (Philadephia: The Jewish The (Philadephia: by Harriet Pass byHarriet CEU eTD Collection 5 overwhelming quantity and little time I have been able to go through just a handful of items. of a handful just through go to able been have I time little and quantity overwhelming Nationalthe and University Library inis Zagreb, of value.great Unfortunately,its dueto Lavoslav in author Schick, thein today form of personal correspondence, talks and articles, sources that commented onit. That is why the personal papers of Zagreb’s Zionistlawyer and non-Jewish andpossible correspondence, like personal press, sources broader of research identities in diverse country as asYugoslavia can thus beanalyzed through only a careful inter-war beto ofmostinunderstand trying helpof the to network Jewish politicalactivities in the years. Conclusions on what were the prevailing factors in shaping of Jewish period become overshadowed with the threat of of anti-Semitism threat the with become overshadowed period midthe when most 1930s of issues the Jews facedYugoslavia of were in with inter-war the of anti-Semitism in the country. Iwant tomention here that my work does not go further than organizations and politics of the time, as well as an introduction to the reasons behind the rise network of overview[Jews in adetailed entireJewish the of gives 1918-1941]which Zagreb, (Zagreb’s journals Zionist in Yugoslav arose occasionally that groups these between debates are the remains that source only The Sarajevo. and Belgrade of Sephardim the or Serbia and Croatia of Ashkenazim the between as differences possible such into nor “integrationists”, and would intolook possible between texts nor Zionists that debates arenostudies, articles, there Jewry. Yugoslav tothe related topic aspecific covers and from the 1970s Jewish Historical Museum began editing a regular Review, each of which its with yearbooks, of publications the restarted Jewish Communities Federation the of period Emil Kerenji (PhD, University of Michigan) deals with this period. provedbook Another essentialthat wasIvoGoldstein’s Although the inter-war period is well-documented and written about, atthis point about, andwritten is well-documented period inter-war Although the Židov from Zagreb; Sarajevo’s Jevrejski glas Jevrejski 9 and Jevrejska tribuna Židovi u Zagrebu 1918-1941 Židovi uZagrebu 5 . In the post-war (WWII) ), which proved which ), CEU eTD Collection successful in national recognition gaining nationalall rightsthe promisedand minoritiesof to percent of the country’s population into a single unified national body so as to be more this half bring together leaders to community’s the of of some some among was an obsession there Although sort. some of mentality Jewish common a some share it did neither but other was notin one that historiography presented from as only each- geographically disconnected are always Jewry,helped of who Yugoslavia’s that overcome differences the assimilation to indeed or Zionism itwhether was about reach conclusions to and try faced with were Ottoman Bosnia. “backward” the capital towards kingdom’s capital and Belgrade,the Hungarian” Croatian in Zionistreminds work somethingBosnia, that of general the of “Austro- the treatment the case with Serbia or Croatia) shaped their identity and their relationships just as well. them was surrounded (as nationalisms that necessarily), dominant the and not butincluded, citizens” of country,the butIargue localtheirAshkenazic backgrounds (Sephardic or consideration historiesparticular of peoplesthe Yugoslavia,of Jewsincluded. takinginto without and asanti-Yugoslav, only political identities appear pro-Yugoslav WWIIinsistencepost on identityan Yugoslav unquestionable made all of pre-war the Secondly, the of bad even taste. matter or a irrelevant became differences very study these of the differences, pre-war regardless their of victims Holocaust of the equal Yugoslavia were distinctions within the term “Jewish identity”. For one, due to the fact that all of the Jews of Overall, this thesis will analyze the spectrum of choices Jews of inter-war Yugoslavia on down looked Belgrade and Zagreb way in the seen be can this of example An themostFor part Jews the of Yugoslavia indeeddid wantto be seen as “obedient I can think of few possible reasons for an absence of studies looking into the 10 CEU eTD Collection dynasty formally dynasty and of proclaimed the existence Kingdom Serbs, Croats of Slovenes the 7 1996). Zagreb, Liber Novi Freiberger, 6 themselves in Decemberafter Alexander 11918when of Karaking Serbian the or four biggest three its to be reduced cannot cities, wars the between inYugoslavia identity in Jewish mostdifferences of the time they are representative in Although population; and Zagreb; Bitolaexplaining 9,1%. (Macedonia) Sarajevo5, 8% the of 2% 4, up made they for Belgrade In capitals. Slav the South in the situation significant more somewhat Jews found 1930s after arrivalthe of couple of thousandmostly Jewish refugees, from Germany. people, %of compromising country’s the thus 0.5 inthe entire population, slightly rising suggest seem same. the period to middle class society andauthors surviving members, family the timeprosperity of and a into inclusion definite the Yugoslav leadJewry to happyandfulfillingin lives periodthe that was,according many to and vice versa. from Croatia, urban northern Jew Ashkenazic strange a in with common hasmore s/he that Macedonia from central Jew aSephardic convince more try and difficult out than it to planned followedWWI,turned that in peacetreaties This was only those people who declared themselves to be of Jewish faith in the censuses. inthe faith Jewish beof to themselves declared who people those only was This Obitelj-Mišpaha Since most of the Jewish population lived in urban areas, their presence was presence their urban areas, livedin population of Jewish mostthe Since However, and more importantly, political disputes did not prevent most of the The number of The number of Yugoslavia Jews ininter-war [Family], ed. Jasminka Domaš Nalbanti 6 . Remnants of Jewish imprint in arts, sciences or architecture from from that architecture or sciences in arts, imprint of Jewish . Remnants 1.1 Setting the scene 11 ü 7 (Zagreb: Kulturno društvo Miroslav Šalom never exceeded the number of never of number exceeded70 000 the ÿ or ÿ evi ü CEU eTD Collection 9 was independent from the Ottoman rule, Jews were prohibited from engaging in commerce or 8 andof for(1804-1813) first the 19 the part sources JewsAccordingEmpire. not take in an to Serbian did part firstactive uprising the Ottoman the of parts other in as same status social their and century mid-sixteenth the Belgrade 11% of city’sthe population Jewsconstituted period inter-war Ashkenazimactivities between leadership. Sephardim remaineddivided the and the During Zionistof 1920s mostthe forinter-marry, part morealbeit on basisand everyday cooperate groups startto population. with creation Slavic Kingdom Only of thetwo did the the Jewish local the from resentment was there since community religious own their up set who Ashkenazim of number a and culture” “western of arrival the but rights civil full bring only Jewish community was in Austro-Hungarian the not 1878.TheruleViennaoccupation of did organized by linesreligious the Jews formed aseparatemillet. The turning pointfor the the Jews in Bosnia did not differ from that of other non-Muslims: because the empire was settlement of froma group merchants Sephardic ThelegalSalonika. andsocial position of Sarajevo kingdom of Serbia. after the delegation consisting of South Slav leaders signed the act of unification with the Freidenreich, 12-25. Ivo Goldstein, Similar to Sarajevo, a small Sephardic community established itself in Belgrade by Belgrade in itself established community Sephardic a small Sarajevo, to Similar the to years hundred four than more back dates Sarajevo of community Jewish The Croatia: A History 8 (London: Hurst&Co, 1999). th century, regardless of that the new Serbian rule newthe Serbian that of regardless century, 12 9 . CEU eTD Collection memorial materials about the history of the Jews inBelgrade], 365. Beogradu, Beograd, 1992, [JewishHistorical Museum –Belgrade, JewishStudies VI, archival Studies, and Zbornik 6, Jevrejski istorijski muzej – Beograd, Studije, arhivska i memoarska gra 11 10 majority environment than casewas the in multiethnicthe with Sarajevo nosingle prevailing religious Orthodox Serbian homogeneous overwhelmingly inan Jews of integration afaster indicates which Sephardim, Sarajevo the than sooner much tongue native their as Serbian claim to the Ashkenazim dispersed all over the town. According tothe censuses, Belgrade Jews began inof livedSephardim Belgradeneighbourhood (in together closer the Dor mostly the Sarajevo, to similar Also well. as community Ashkenazic the to autonomy religious speaking Ashkenazim ofVojvodina. Only in 1892did theformally Serbian government grant mostly and Empire the Hungarian from Serbia Austro-Hungarian the Sava, whichseparated moving same the across firstfrom Ashkenazimrecognized, around river and the time started owning real estate outside the city. In 1866 the Sephardic community was formally parliament had (which religiousautonomy alaw issues, included)over some civil adopted on Croatian the subjects, non-Jewish with Jews of equality civil and political unconditional the after side,and Jewish establishedof threemajorthe Jewish communities Yugoslav After muchlobbying from the recently most the Zagreb making century, eighteenth the of end the around Empire, Habsburg Zagreb andJews. 4% 1939 In were8500Sephardimthere and 1888Ashkenazim. Germans) and Hungarians Slovenes, (Croats, Catholics 9% around with Orthodox Serbian 1931 its population Approximately predominantly remained homogenous. 85% people were DrHarriet Pass Freidenreich, Ibid., 29-39. First Jewish settlers to Croatia were Ashkenazim coming from other parts of the 10 . Even though . Even though capitalthe of Kingdom new the insizedoubled between 1921 and Jevreji Beograda izme Ausgleich (Austro-Hungarian Compromise) (Austro-Hungarian for which called 13 ÿ u ratova [The Jews of Belgrade in between Wars], inbetween Belgrade of Jews [The 11 ÿ a o istoriji Jevreja u ü ol) while CEU eTD Collection 12 elsewhere in Kingdom.the then here acase of more was pronunciation Slavic the fit to names adopting contrary, the On did not mean Jews of Zagreb did not slavicize as much as patriot, Hungarian broken. backgroundonce all havebeen one’s with or This ties the German they did elsewhere in the country. Croatian “better” a becoming thus and nationality of Jewish concept the accepting through Zagreb,develop Lavoslav toZionism anapproach to Schick as awayof de-Germanizing lawyerfrom aZionist brought of Empire. This the rest the of Ashkenazim the language) than German monthly Hungarian speakingfirst its used worldor as (the Zionist German principal rule Empire ofthe some remainedcloser1918 (with autonomy) until Zagreb’sJews tothe population was that due to the proximity Zagrebof Vienna,to and thefactit stayed under the Ashkenazic with to their twotowns between the regard difference The city’s population. in made majority; homogeneous one,which Zagreb’scaseaCatholic upmore than 90% of organization. pay central Israelite tothe taxes to although continuing endformedcommunity own their clash between the NeologueLaw on the Organizationmajority of the Israelite Religious Community whichand did not resolve thethe “Old issued In a parliament 1906 the later). Believers” “Croatia” became only byCroats-Catholics mostly (the Orthodox) for equality theJewslatter although inhabited of DalmatiaCroatia, and two (the Slavonia, which in the Freidenreich, What Zagreb and Belgrade had in common was that they were both areas with a with areas both were they that was common in had Belgrade and Zagreb What The JewsYugoslavia of 12 , 42-54. 14 CEU eTD Collection 14 Johanna Gehmacher, Elizabeth Harvey Sophiaand Kemlein, (Osnabrück: Fibre, 2004), p.25-42 Kriegen: Nationen, Nationalismenund Geschlechterverhältnisse Mittel-in und Osteuropa, 1918-1939, ed. Spanish? together. us Thebrings that something certain young that lost have Sephardim the “We wonders. don’t use it anymore.identity, maintain nationalisticallyamong peoplesto of their author millions the driven Religion? In drowned Jews, scattered of areahandful the assimilation. How towards a path on certainly best case we have were Bosnia Sephardim of the Jewish identity, aseparate inkeeping of centuries success after kept some all” beingbeing not in Zionist“Being Jewishisabout or [Jewish Jewishat April 1929: a Voice] paraphrase Croatian historian Andrea Feldman will I so time), the of politics of stage main the off reasons different for (both life political boost the enthusiasm for the cause. the for enthusiasm the boost Zionist getas manyelites tried organizational to Zionist thecountry totour celebrities and Sephardim of Bosnia important. Yugoslav Zionism Jews Jews establishedwas very links in with thewest. and Serbiavery much like in the rest of East Central tookEurope during the interwar period the experience of part in internationalamong theunification after themselves in Jews country the of 1918.Forthe in Yugoslavia, bonds common define to sought lands Slav South the of Jews differences, class or Orthodox) Sephardic congresses,(Sephardim,Ashkenazim, Croatian), Sephardic, religious (Neologue, Bosnian, Serbian, and the 13 Andrea Feldman, Jevrejski Glas Jevrejski 14 . In . In a lengthy article heexplains cannotbutquote Max Nordau expressto his fearthat It is worth drawing a parallel between the organization of Jewish and women’s Or as Jakov Maestro of Sarajevo exclaimed for the local journal Or asJakovMaestro local forexclaimed of the ZionistSarajevo 2. Keeping up with Herzl – Zionism of the South Slav Lands , Sarajevo, April12 1929, Jakov Maestro, Yugoslavia Imagined. Women and the Ideology of Yugoslavism (1918-1939) 15 13 Mi i cionizam and say that regardless of their national . Jevrejski Glas in Zwischen in CEU eTD Collection [The Farm of Jewish settlers from Yugoslavia in Palestine], in 17 Almanac] Ashkenazy Regrets: JewishIntellectual Life Interwarin Croatia] in Slavs.” of South the ideologies national to the conflicted mostly it,was “itareaction puts Feldman third way for women the and menwhopursueditin inter-war as Yugoslavia,Andrea or 16 15 Slav lands by giving Yugoslav Jews a political cause pursue,to if they chose pursueto one in recognized asanational from it of minority,realizedsupporters theSouth goals the Zionist fewer stayed and even for Palestine goals Zionism notsucceedinneitherof did littleat home: left “Zionist” numberof the people very and formed national early Jewish in Belgrade like studentAlthough clubs cities Vienna. Europealready of firstCongress, and Eastern at the ZionistZagreb, Sarajevo Jewishstudents from South representatives were There choice. afirst wasdefinitely Zionism ones, ardent most for the for andespecially themost, them. reject But not certainly would most cause that domestic fromit, andwere politics lookingin thus rejected in for participating comfort the for wereZionists, whomitthere was a second pick, hadthey pursue “real” after tried to mean have to would This conflicts. Yugoslav conflicted to a“reaction” only was Zionism wantingbe (wanting to pretend!) as to SlavSouth as Yugoslavs, this still mean notdid themfrom aware wheredivided ridicule suspectedof if waspossible line the that they were still were they non-Zionists were they if and relations Serbo-Croatian of drama daily the into meddle to not stand official their was it Zionism towards inclined were if they i.e. politics, is left.” Zionism Patriarchy?routine procedures. An onlytalkessence aboutand which we yearnfor. Only See Ivo – SlavkoGoldstein Goldstein, Andrea Feldman, Andrea Ibid. 16 The fewlooked into the historians subject who concludeZionisma wassomething of , (Zagreb: Zavod za hrvatsku povijest,Filozofski Sveu fakultet Although for most the partJewsindeed in from refrained “national” participation 15 Gospo ÿ ica Ashkenazy žali. Intelektualniživot Židova u me Farma jugoslavenskih židovskih naseljenika uPalestini1926-1928 17 , and there is the fact Jews were never officially 16 Zbornik Mirjane Gross Zbornik Mirjane Gross þ ilišta uZagrebu,ilišta 1999), 353-359. , 371. ÿ uratnoj Hrvatskoj [Mirjana Gross [Mirjana [Mrs CEU eTD Collection Yugoslavia, although somewhere this process took a longer than elsewhere of whole the in Councils Jewish the of persuasions political other over won eventually from.tradition they came two student the of organizations bydefault they friends,where whichhad andnot Jewish these were probably Sephardim from either Zagreb or downtown Belgrade whojoined Ashkenazi onemostly of in Sephardim some were there though and lands”, Slav South the from students Jewish “All called been have might that one a single into organizations merged theirwhere they linkin two cameneverlands had they from, fact the a common Slav South the from Jewish students although mention that to not Herehe decided groups”. Jewish two the made between were “nodifferences when Alkalaj (a Sephardic) with Isak 20 organizations 19 18 However, notuntil 1933 in of where wecamefrom South” regardless the Yugoslavia, student days in claims Vienna we “even that then have been in united samethe ideaof his reminiscing Zagreb of Schick Lavoslav Ashkenazim, the and Sephardim the between brotherhood emphasize the senseof To organizations. in parallel wasorganized their work fact cooperation,the of regardless itcame to getwhen astheywould asclose organizations firstthe also place. It broughttheAshkenazim Sephardimand involved of inthe Zionistwork the world.the lobbyingfor Palestine and an official statementon solidarity with Jewishthe in community the nationality, a as Jewishness of view the with agreement their expressing thus candidate, Federationthe of Jewish Religious Communities of Yugoslavia givetheirvote to aZionist Thecongress took in place Belgrade, April 1933. ofZionist members shekel-paying were Jews Yugoslav seven in one Yugoslavia, in WWII eveof the On The National and University Library in Zagreb, Trezor Lavoslava Schicka, R 6965 During the course of the first three decades of the twentieth century of Zionism decadesfirst of three Duringcentury twentieth the the course the . 20 (shortly after Hitler’s rise to power) did most of the delegates of delegates the of most did power) to rise Hitler’s after (shortly 17 18 . He histalks about friendship 19 . Bar Giora, CEU eTD Collection 23 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988). 22 21 prove he is a distinguished Croatian patriot but also a courageous and proud Jew.” politics he will pursue. The only important thing is to be a Jew without a its mask tell so thatnor he can followers whichparty for. vote “It to matter is aprivate of every individual Jew which politics internal with interfere never would Zionism future. its and people Jewish of domestic politicsandculture butwantin toremain Jews exclusively questions related to distinguishing terms nationhood of from citizenship andemphasize inthey issuesare Croats in believe supporters Zionist react”. is anti “howwill Semites intothe account take faith” of Mosaic “Croats only criteria the that was response Zionist The before. never existed it in places even more anti-Semitism, create thus and Croatian “nationally” Jews arenot that asareminder nationality serve will and separate idea of Jewish state the the advocating feared Jews whoopenly established already tension among many butcreated students, Czech lands,mostfirst the movementwas popular at with school university and high Zionism was accepted the most in Yugoslavia (according to the number of number of shekel the payers) to mostin(according the Yugoslavia Zionism was accepted following WWI. Years stateafter the new the war of Jewry diverse the andhitherto to common something the as serve then would which years leading to another First World afterZionism the concludedbecame necessary Wartoserveasonly asocial glue one is exactly when when of describing the politics journal Zionist first the waspublishedthat in Serbo-Croat, worthy less felt still citizens equal these of some law, by equal (although individuals of equality on only assimilation and worthiness”, “equal of principle the on resting as seen was Zionism The The League of Yugoslav Zionists was founded in 1919. Hillel J. Kieval, The Making of CzechJewry: National Conflict and JewishSociety Bohemiain 1870-1918 Židovska smotra Židovska 22 . Samecountries be considering two between the can saidYugoslavia, similarities for than than equal other toputitcitizens),or in words the historian of the Mirjana Gross In Croatia (“the Zionist capital of Yugoslavia”, Harriet Freidenreich), similar to the to similar Freidenreich), Harriet Yugoslavia”, of capital Zionist (“the Croatia In Some authors (Hillel Kievel), writing about the same subject in Czechoslovakia subject same the about writing Kievel), (Hillel authors Some , 5,, 6/1909 (authors Spitzer Jehuda),and Zagreb 18 21 23 . CEU eTD Collection in most rural parts of it who were seenas European but Central Sephardim vs. Ashkenazim not 25 op i kulture Židova u Hrvatskoj nationalism, not all of them thought Zionism was Zionism thought them of all not nationalism, parts respective country’s the historicalthe its Jewishnesssense toof was particular diverse background the of Jewry that something else (or somebody you are crisis? If identity the building evolves process through being becoming or something identity an use amore clichédterm, to or, collision imply necessary doesthis or scratch identity.or Couldyou buildyour pan-Slavic and pan-Jewish identity at the same time from ( Yugo-Slav a specific of construction the place sametime as atthe War)took Bigof the aftermath the of consequences inevitable the of because but accomplishments political own becausetheir of from (not parted eventually in identity Slavs culture for timesouth found against support and rebelled which the some Slav South building aZionist of theprocess one, For Czechoslovakia)? or Germany Austria, most Zionism (the inmightcomparison draw being comparable relevantcountries other one started with financial help of one of the editor’s, Aleksandar Licht’s, father Hermann). 24 fathers.” assimilationist from their asdifferent were seen they sure make to wanted who and Croatian predominantly was tongue mother whose Jews principlesthe Zionism mentalitythe political of andmostly expresses of generation third Worldcompletely captures War].The newspaper First the of beginning from the 1906 [until of young Croatian Zionist intellectuals“the fight for moral asand human worthinesswas of the Jews becomeswitnessed central theme of the ideology in the writings of Most similarcase is the one of Czechoslovakia but there the differences withinJewish population iteself were Mirjana Gross, Mirjana ü ina Zagreb,ina 1998), 107. The question is in what way was Zionism of the South Slav lands different to, say, to, different lands Slav South the of Zionism was way what in is question The Ravnopravnost bez jednakovrijednosti [Two Centuries of Jewish History and Culture in Croatia], (Zagreb: Židovska (Zagreb: Croatia], in Culture and History of Jewish Centuries [Two 25 . As one can see in the case of Sephardic Diaspora in Sephardic of case see . Asthe can one Ostjuden not) . yug/o then the Yugoslav case indeed is special in the 19 Hochkultur [Equality without worthiness], in coming from the word for south, a priori Jews vs. Jews in the Slovak lands, especially Slovak lands, the Jews Jews in vs. 24 necessary maintaining necessary to your (Ironically the newspaper was newspaper (Ironically the Dva stolje Židovska smotra jug ü a povijesti ) nation against , CEU eTD Collection does not explain why. Freidenreich exist. to ceased Torah Talmud 1910 In framework. educational own their within subjects secular CroatianJewishboys attended meldar (Talmud Torah) while girls stayed home at and marriedwas early.1894In Serbo introducedOttoman period was strictly religious because few Jewswanted to send their children to a public school. So all into the curriculum of the Jewish school so that Jewish children could now study 26 from the port of Dubrovnik, after all). beingdienot havingconsidered to leaving or faraway doneso(Sarajevo there Palestine for disappeared from the SephardicPalestine never to idea of but the returning detail, home.a lessrelevant back Maybeonly tradition be it in and bringwith the date it movement it eventually stay up to educationwas easy inVienna, to prayer, songs, or examplesmore real in it1920 than was in 1890. Since manySephardic Sarajevans pursued their higher of rabbis who boys Serbo-Croat (in the past Ladino schools were predominantly for religious studies and for in taught schools state that to wentmore moreAs children and and Serbs). Croats (Slovenes, a member definedthat of itspeoples itself three a state constituent inits through of title now fact was thiswith community finishedthe that by administration of Bosnia Viennese the annexation the with begun that process the and gone, long were Empire Ottoman the of Days from of starting turn century. the the inonly few decades changeddrastically circumstances Zionism fallnot would fertileon grounds among the Sephardim of However,Yugoslavia. that expect could one If so, asingle religion? overpowering or culture, was nodominant (maintaining an identityfor centuriesthrough before the word Zionism was even coined.centuries, Does the explanation for this without fourenvironmentof religions (eveniftechnically Bosnia was apartof Ottoman the Empire) any sense multicultural a in ofidentity a specific threat) maintain to managed Sephardim The Sephardim. lie in the fact there should embrace Zionist views as was considered by the most of the first Zionist enthusiasts. Jewish identity (this, and not a definite decision to move to Palestine was the reason one As Freidreich writes in 26 ), and with many Ashkenazim moving in perhaps threatof the lookedassimilation The issues Croatian Jewry faced after 1918 were different tothe reality of the Bosnian The Jews of Yugoslavia , theonly officialinstruction receivedby Sephardim the in the 20 CEU eTD Collection once they returned home) aimed at was forming closer connections between the dispersed between connections closer forming was at aimed home) they once returned Whatwere a result clubsBosnia, etc. and these of newspapers (that their subsequently work u Hrvats post Worldweekly,postWar Zionist IZagreb Aleksandar Licht, Aleksandar names were Among most prominent (some the even from countries Bulgaria). respective in their intellectuals prominent became eventually all circle Giora Bar in the pioneers Zionist everybody understandable to living from BitolaLjubljana orSkopjeto inMacedonia. The readings Zionism in on what wastechnically Croatian iflanguage) not (dialect, but politics. in up with Jewish Central European newturn the keep to provinces South the the Jewsof for achieve was to wanted what they that made clear 27 Sephardic tradition, and hadnothingdo to with Zionism).political fall out of fashionto not organizations, Jewish among trend asadominant asZionism Palestine”into (perhaps, or appear backward? ofits however,one later, on resolutionsincluded helping“working immigration the Jews of time Some Diaspora”. in the life Sephardic the Thenemotionally and culturally “uplift to aims it again, Palestinewith work in 1896). The latter was notexplicitly Zionist, however, but stated as itswas motto that always present in the organizations, Ashkenazim one predominantly ( Jewish from students Slav lands in wereVienna gatheredin differenttwo student Lederer to say that it was theseWürzburg and Prague,studyingin there 1890s and“children” 1900s,this brought author the Lador- that infected theirBosnia and of Serbia,werestudents universities in Vienna, butalsoBerlin, Graz, Breslau, fathers with the Zionist bug. predominantly Sephardim ( Sephardim predominantly Lador-Lederer Željko-Josef, Lador-Lederer k The membersof beyondCroatia, – then and to first ideology Zionistintroduce to ones first Since the oj [Two Centuries of Jews in Croatia], (Zagreb: Židovska op Židovska (Zagreb: Croatia], in of Jews Centuries [Two spiritus movens Bar Giora Bar Tri fragmenta o Trifragmenta cionizmu Esperanza – Sociedad de los Judios Sefaradim enViena Sefaradim de los Judios – Sociedad Esperanza of Croatian Zionism, Alfred Singer, the first editor of the , on the other hand, from the very beginning excitedly beginning very the from hand, other the on , Židov 21 [Three fragments onZionism], in , Johan Thau, the first (official) Zionist from Zionist (official) first the Thau, Johan , Bar Giora Bar ü Bar Giora Bar ina Zagreb, 1998), 179. 1998), Zagreb, ina , set up in, set other the 1901) and reports were so the first sothe were reports Dva stolje , starting , ü a Židova 27 CEU eTD Collection led toIllyrian Yugoslavor cultural and political movements while studying abroad. create linksjust to Slavs their out that Jewry assome thought South attempts Yugoslavia, of 22 CEU eTD Collection 30 29 South SlavsSouth would understand (this was in alanguage newspaper publishedweekly least one Zionist at of numberyears and regular four years, not to mention the activities forhad When wrote thisnewspaper been already published regularly aZagreb ZionistSachs of the Zionist students’ clubs have been active for a Christian-Socialistthe Cultural Program” in hewhich stated following:the community the of in support Palestine.” community,Siebenschein,headed byDr.Robert approve any refused to action on partof the Jewish Zagreb the of board executive the 1918 In state. Yugoslav the of creation the of integrationistsgroup wealthy controlled inZagreb politics Jewish communal who to prior scene. Not only itlacked support but, she claims, Zionism was “an anathema to the influential Jewish nationalism lacked support from moderate liberals Zagreb’swho dominated Jewish 28 Ibid., 142. Freidenreich, 141. As one of the Zionist commentators stated in the Zionist vs. assimilationist debate, 3. Assimilation is for actors, notJews isforactors, 3. Assimilation Jews are by and largeloyal Croats. me, we nation. Believe noJewish is also there nation, Catholic is noseparate as there language is not a nation. Jews are members of different nations like Catholics, and just Thatnation. which Jewish a is existedlonger no Today several Croats. only thousandbe must and be yearsmay faiths ago these of has adherents ceasedall but to faiths, exist.many are A there nation Croatia In faith. without Jewish a the of Croats are We “Israelites and entitled alecture delivered native of Zagreb Sachs,a In 1910Vladimir Freidenreich argues that in the early 20 29 Židovska smotra lifestyles 30 23 28 th –debatesontheassimilationist century both Croatian nationalism and nationalism Croatian both century from Zagreb). Židov , April 1918. , April CEU eTD Collection religion” seemed just enough mightand anything more “bring Kishinev Croatia”to as a “ofJewish faith” or “of Mosaic the Being attention. be unnecessary Jewishas to creating didof having aseem state Jewish nation-based not so unbelievable. ideathe based)states, least, more ethnic at based(or Warethnic of First World creation and same time not having to move from the place one is accustomed to. Also, after the end of thepresented a way of staying by Jewish supporting the morally cause butandat financially the 96. 31 IvoGoldstein strange, wasnothing asargues alonelet MiddleEast, anywhere, moving in intention no had who Belgrade or Sarajevo Zagreb, of Jewry assimilated anything or Zionism towards hatred became popular That semi-assimilated among Jewish. for apsychopathic a cover-up infact was because assimilation necessity an unavoidable andfrom unlike manyother Yugoslavia actually stayed there,saidin 1930 that Zionism was welfare. their to bringnogood Jewishcan be specifically would that all practice political thought latter The rest. from the undistinguishable are totally until they completely assimilating from who Jews Europe separately neverlived those of only prevent the will that thing appealing. spoke likeLicht People bringingof around the national elementamong Jewsas multiculturalism, Palestine foundidea to asmuch national the Jewishnessthey of of version Bosnian or culture Austro-Hungarian the either into assimilated well population, Jewish thesurrounding or of themselves transfer actual believe in necessarily not in(especially case of the Zagreb) can be easilysummed following. upinto former The did Goldstein Ivo, Goldstein Assimilationists on the other hand perceived these new notions of what does it mean it does what of notions new these perceived hand other the on Assimilationists Cvi Rothmüller, of one Croatian Zionists first the whoPalestine moved eventually to Jewry Yugoslav the of circles “integrations” and Zionist the between The conflict Židoviu Zagrebu 1918-1941 [JewsZagreb in 1918-1941], (Zagreb: Novi Zagreb, Liber, 2005), 24 31 . Namely, it Namely, . CEU eTD Collection in 32 names sothey sound more Slavic German Hungarian or culture (this process involved romanticizing changing Slavicpast, and 1840s)building their identity somethingas opposite from what wasconsidered be to in 1830s movement cultural Illyrian the with (starting now time some for were who Slavs, Croatia group of fromassimilationist students Osijek warned during the first Zionist conference in for closer ties with ties with Hungary. for closer Semitism if it was the case these Jewish individuals were supporters of the party which called sometimes not mean takeon attacks didbeanti- not Jewish.happened the does This to on Jewish some that property, “Germans” butrather of or“Hungarians” targeted the attacks what drovethese not was anti-Semitism that out point authors as well. Some to target German names, or,in the eastern parts of Croatia (Slavonia) spoke Hungarian, they were easy sentiment and disagreement with Viennabelieved and Pest. As most of the Jewish shopto owners smashedin foreign Hungarian bypeople owned oppressor” German signs (bearingor or bebore too close with “the connected which wassomehow property ofprivate offices, and windows post to the authorities) stations, from railway down symbols torn were State occurrence. acommon were violence - the easiest enough). Austrian/Hungarian way of demonstrating“Germans”, i.e., Austrians inAustria(and orHungary Jews were not often the or than Magyars the more different asno seen were it they was because targeted, national Ljiljana Dobrovšak, Ljiljana ý asopis za suvremenu povijest Early twentieth century saw anti-regime sentiment reaching its peak among the South the its peakamong reaching sentiment saw anti-regime century Early twentieth 32 By 1903, anti-Hungarian and anti-Austrian demonstrations followed by physical . Prvi cionisti [Journal forContemporary History],37 (2005), 2, 479-495. þ ki kongres u Osijeku 1904.godine 33 ). Bearing this in mind, if Jews in these areas were 25 [First Zionist Congress Osijek,in 1904] CEU eTD Collection patriotisme!” article Bar Giora Bar nicenot norpolitesuit andit not itsdoes Judaism nor customs” patriotic, it is in fact full of betrayal foryour country which you cannot really love, and that is join him they because, asthese putit:incannot “yourcritics hisefforts isnot agenda rootsfor Palestine note) then author’s with ahomeland, Zagreb somebody Vienna (i.e. and ifhimself,a Jewfrom hebut people” cultured as“free finally them grow andto enable because itmillions for provide will of unfortunate Jews homelandwhose only wasthe he hasbeen from getting Jews”“honest andvirtuous inform whohim take to Zionism they do comments some about writes in Zagreb student law a still time the at (Šik), Schick Lavoslav part of this [Yugoslav]nation as a whole” as national in minority a thenewKingdom,highlighting“Yugoslav that Jewryis organic an 35 34 (“ban”) Croatia of the governor a presented into resolution Jewish of community 1918 board Zagreb the executive mentioned previously The census. new the in oneself declare to how of question a generalyearan unavoidable onlyinthere 1918–a before that brought wasnot trend traces, enough fitintoto the identity provided by universal the tocitizenshipaccess What rights. was Lavoslav Schick, Lavoslav Freidenreich, 141. In 1920 the integrationist line was defetead by the Zionists inJewish community elections. 3.1 TheZionismof Lavoslav Schick and theFirst Zionist Congress in Croatia (Osijek, Zionism andpatriotism In an article for In anarticle Secondly, prior to dismantle of the Austro-Hungarian perhaps it todismantle was easy Empire, Austro-Hungarian Secondly, of prior the , Vienna, 1903-4. ). The text is to prove that Jewish nationalism is not at odds with patriotism for opposing Cijonizam ipatriotizam The Report of the Jewish Giora Club Bar of Academics The Report a petition by the Zionist Federation for the recognition of Jews the of recognition for the Federation by Zionist the apetition (borrowing the title from Max Nordau’s “ , in , Izvještaj društvaŽidovaakademi 34 . 1904) 26 35 . Šik replies in form of an þ ara iz jugoslavenskihzemalja Le sionisme c’estle from from 1904 shtetl CEU eTD Collection be a “good Jew” and a “good Yugoslav” at the same time, Schick remembers how conflicted how same remembers the Yugoslav” Schick Jew”time, at “good andbea “good a itis who sharedhisviewsthat to possible from Dalmatia priest a Catholic friend, a deceased 37 36 came for Sarajevo’s In an from. grandparents article or parents their Empire of parts the with had Slavonia and Croatia of Jews relationship Croatianbetter should patriot be viewedthrough prismthe of burdensome often the a becoming of a way as Zionism on view his importantly, More sentiment. national one’s of regardless andan citizen Croatian” equal be “politically could one where civic nationality, it try nationality.was effortless to and proveCroatian winningformula ina believed Schick’s identity his/her Jewish nowas somethingto hide, with if reason especially thought person the felt who for somebody ideal version herewasthe for thebestpart, hisbut age, to optimism lovefor these parts, customsthrough andlanguage,for all centuries.these the have keptalive JewsPortugal the is and of Spain for that which host-land,the evidence August 17 1934 Ibid. 8-11. Since Schick was in his early twenties when he wrote couldSince whenhewrote Schickwasinhisearly one this, the ascribe twenties Croatianbut Jews, Jews, be valuable homeland.us citizens of our let so … note] author’s Hebrew, and Croatian only but language, native Croatiandeclarehow atrue Zionist German hasnoreason to Hungarian his/heror as explain to [he goes Zionist not still Jews are most because True, truth. tothe close not Croatian people manyit’s Croats asthesametime. will say:but nice, Sure, That’s all firm, then parts betheplacewill this Jews of are strongsupporters the of who proud of the ones who are ready to do this…nationality behind areworthless, andCroats and both people any other should beware If Zionism was to takeleave their who people because over of Croatia, Jews the from assimilating nothing have the would Jews people Croatian of thesenationality… Jewish our hide to reason the not is this it.from However, is weshouldwithhold sacrifice us andthere no much to therefore happy, to richand fight note) author’s (Croatia, make country this to haveaduty aswell we Don’t and work forthe that ones whoexpect have to enjoyedeasy itall it, these isn’t rights as free citizens behave, much so will likepay their through countrybeen back? have who Jews how is all this If her other sons? This homeland has given so 27 Jevrejski Glas 36 37 , writing anobituary for CEU eTD Collection much much and assimilate Jews because triedas itelsewhere,Austriaindid to or they primarily citizens, because they somehow asked for it by “sitting on two chairs” Croatia’s complainnot Jews should being when as they are criticizedsecond-class or treated 38 Zagreba constant regimereminder can be seen inthat Croatian some press of Unfortunately,Croat. proved hisfate his enthusiasm ofwrong. the 1930sthese which Jewssaw Zionist agood mayit equals (notGerman, be. Hungarian) cause, whatever agood Hence, any Zionisthost-country’s were their to dedicated politically are they nationality activities different their of “onlyin spite that as show they if especially passing a hide, to nothing have Jews countrymen fellow their knew Croats way through”.they would avoid the trap of trying to become Croats/Yugoslavs only beto cast off later. This Journalsand still at thelike same timeforeign power. If these peopleproclaim came out as proud Jews whofeel they despised have much the nothingfor) felt to hide, they their thought non-Jews what (or for felt Jewry love Croatia’s of some for the homeland, replace free Kingdom Yugoslavia!”.of a way,Zionism sentiment any possible was to In its language and customs,not German or Hungarian, and that they should in every way feel as “sons of the young and Zionist[the leadership, insistednote] author’s they should declareas Jewish, certainly and declare we asHungarian, to themselves remark] [Schick’s territories” occupied Hungarian WWI. followed that treaties peace the during felt (Slavonia) Baranja and Vojvodina Jewsof the Zagreba The author Ljiljana Dobrovšak thinks Zionism did not take on with Croatian Jews as Jews Croatian with on take not did Zionism thinks Dobrovšak Ljiljana author The A trace that something like this will not eventually be accepted by nationalist beaccepted the eventually not will like this something A that trace Jews the “allegedly While in asked of Rabbinical Budapest these the Seminary þ þ ka smotra ka smotra /24/1934 , although guarding Hitler’s rise to power with unease, still considered 28 38 . CEU eTD Collection the symbolical pre-state unification of South unification ran Slavs symbolicalof the made the languagelineitalong South sense pre-state As intellectual toofferinelites? willing andsympathy foracceptance of Croatian the return tell) to hard is in believed he truly something language (did he wanttobe quicker then any potential anti-Semitism orwhetheritwas amongithe belongs” whom saw calls for arevivalof Jewishculturethe through Croatian existent. He hopes this will come to an end after they acceptfor isthis them non in convenient arewhile language facttheirCroatian insufficient skills or Zionism which as the “Zionists when Croats as themselves declaring of because personality” ashady with “assimilationists Croatianliving. tothepeoplethreat been Jewsfor being Jews have amongwhom Heattacks neversays the mainstream Croatian to publicthis) reading thatZionism shouldbe seen asno he was killed (shot or beaten to death) shortly after being imprisoned. broken, he faith his decided and depressed returned nothe toAlthough leave Stepinac. archbishop Zagreb. Catholic the of figure Secondcontroversial time he of a wason behalf arrestedintervention an after he wasreleased which onfrom Jasenovac no camp” grounds “work into taken eventually and send to Jasenovac again where to Graz to beJasenovac but did not use them.questioned Some time after first the rounding up of prominent Zagreb Jews who were taken in hand, a aboutreminder of thehow he died.Jewish41 He had two Judisches Volksblattchancescommunity of avoiding death affairs in the Croatian inconcentration Croatia, camp Schick returned to Croatia and was their Jewish origin Jewish their beof: proud to because theyhavesomething Croatian better patriots Jews make Croatian cultural year.August that As was somebody Schick believedwho Zionismwasakindof strongly newspaper 40 in 39 being Croatian) awardedarabbi could speakgood who on insisted community the example, for Osijek, (in ghettoisation imposed self like looked Hebrewat so anattempt 1900s) (around learning Croatian with already hadproblems enough To try to prove Schick lived what he wrote about, that Jewish pride and (Croatian) patriotism could go hand The piece was a shorter translation of an article of an translation shorter a was piece The Ljiljana Dobrovšak, Ljiljana ý asopis za suvremenu povijest At the beginning of beginningthe At of anarticle1904 Schick writes Judaism that in no way should be in contradiction with Croatian patriotism (but will (but patriotism Croatian with in contradiction be should way no in that Judaism Obzor . aboutthe upcomingfirst Zionist in congress Croatia thatwastobe heldin and Prvi cionisti Croatian homeland) this article was to show (albeit of Schick show (albeitcourse of homeland) wasto article this Croatian [Journal forContemporary History],37 (2005), 2, 487. þ ki kongres u Osijeku 1904. godine 29 Kehilla Kadoscha Zagreb 41 . Possibly this was a compromise he was 39 . 40 [First Zionist Congress Osijek,in 1904] in the widely popular Croatian for the Viennese newspaper Viennese the for CEU eTD Collection 42 Jewish people would be more motivated to invest into the welfare of the common homeland – will, he says, but you will always remain Jews. If it will become possible to declare oneself as why he thinks they are wrong. No matter how much they would like to be Croats, you never Oton Krausexplain (Krausz) tries to incomes histhat immediately pamphlet out thisafter Zionists” detrimentof journalist willeventually go tothe Croatian the which cause.AZagreb their Croatian colleaguesfor support show to persuasions” “religious different of academics meetingCroatian was a of of the Mosaic faith and strongly accuseso keep the Mosaics of our homeland alienated fromthis the Croatian cause and “activism spirit Croatian the of interests the against goes that politics promote actually of nationalism several of colleaguestheir whoshareunderand their who religion Zionism maskof Jewish the and political and cultural aspirations of Croatian the andstrongly judgepeople, advocacy some of from Mosaicfaith the which identify signed stated they a resolution Osijek” with themselves it was to make sure Hebrew was taught to Jewish children in the region). itwas concluded Also, addressed audience inHebrew. the sooneof be lecturers the ignored not could revive Hebrew to Zionists European the of decision the sametime the (at building read orwrote Hebrewit did make not much tomakesense ita ground for new the movement Andcleared name Zionistsincenobody the of anti-Slavic sentiment. a possibleof suspicion Jewry alsomade It and more assimilated ideasfresh the start. to approachable Zionism of the usingSlavic the South on vernacular a dailybasis marked afresh start, just asZionism wasa in in Serbian Croatian Croatia). and Serbia to replace German or Hungarian with the dialects of Serbo-Croatian (at this time still called Dobrovšak, p 486. Dobrovšak, Afew(meaning only dayslater place) of a couple congress took the before days there As soon as the news of the Congress broke out, a number of “Croatian academics of on insistence the and memories, “bad” back brought German/Hungarian all, of First 30 42 . CEU eTD Collection Jew than what isJew than what onin going than the coat” the than Jevrejski glas pay Jakovpeoplequote to willing shekel).the To of Maestro Sarajevo’s Zionist paper Bosnia was unsatisfactoryaccusations in its from results the both This inperpetual its resulted Jews, they thought). nevermistreated andBosnia andSerbia Serbo-Croatian, on the whole too but passive also local (i.e. Bosnian little side, numberthat Zionist of work in 43 invest asmuch in the should one believed Zionists was theSephardic to itthat Whatcame down be should about. ideas it promoted, in years to follow certain differences arose in what they thought Zionism because they show effort to fitin). acceptable Zionists”, as“acceptable theother asCroats, assimilate to wanting one Hungarian; (now on) one should use only Croatian (both having motives to disclaimfrom German that belief or the is in common have to seem they thing only The future. the in Semitism supporters of Zionism,both thinking their side will any of prevent outbursts possible anti- nobody actually believes them only (or pretends to). - Croatian in write cannot they that only not but Croatian are they say who assimilationists but a movementnothing is Zionism share. all we what is that strength political and economical willCroatia’s Croatia. prevent complete assimilation – and yet it is opposed by Jewish Jevrejski Glas Jevrejski The conference itself was marked by harsh disagreements between opponents and between opponents disagreements markedbyharsh itself The conference was Although Jewish students of the South Although of students Slav landsJewish embraced South the term the both and the , “from the experience we (Sephardim) know that the shirt is closer to the body , Sarajevo, April12 1929, Jakov Maestro, 43 3.2 Ashkenazic Zionism vs. 3.2 AshkenazicZionismSephardic Diaspora Nationalism , meaning the daily difficulties of of the difficulties , meaningthedaily galut (Diaspora) as in the work in Palestine (after all, the Eretz Israel Eretz . However, because Maestro writes for ajournal that 31 Mi i cionizam galut is closer to the life of an average . galut , i.e. CEU eTD Collection makes us look way better in the eyes of the world than Rothschild’s hospital in Vienna.” we do in the Diaspora, and we know a man is judged by his coat. One barn in Palestine 45 44 a and war, the before Community Sephardic Belgrade the of president the MD, Albala, wasDavid this caseSerbian-Sephardic) (in a Sephardic-Zionist mentioned of example itwas perceived Budapest in lessas non-threatening, or threatening, any case. Commonly or Vienna of governance despised the of culture the with do to nothing had Jewishness was strong (Jewish schools, clubs, no marriage outside the creed, Ladino), identity becauseJewish their theirAlthough have. Ashkenazim the issues identity same the face to have not did Serbia) South called still time that at (Macedonia Serbia and Bosnia of Sephardim the 1918, After can be prismthe discrepancy too. looked through of Ashkenazic-Sephardic the himself and claims “weacceptthe corrects heimmediately Sarajevo together of Jewish thetwo bringing communities aimed at Freidenreich, 146. Ibid. The difference between Zagreb’s and Belgrade’s views on what it meant to bemeantit Jewish to on what views andBelgrade’s Zagreb’s between The difference proclamation the free development of the Jews of Bosnia and Herzegovina. andof Serbs, Croats, Slovenes… Council and assons thisof in land we seeguaranteed this National the of program the join we democracy, and nations of determination As consciousdeclaration: and nationalist Bosnia andHerzegovina,issued body, apredominantly Sephardic following the of of Jews Committee the Political state, Yugoslav of the establishment the after Jews, Immediately society. beSarajevo of anintegral part to who feltthese themselves Sephardim centuries, three over for always city in the lived having Nevertheless, nationality. by Jews valueunconsciously, or consciously themselves, highlyconsidered they always have Serbs, Orthodox Eastern and Croats, Catholic the Bosniaks, Muslim among society great idea Retaining milletsystem of Ottoman the heritage and growingthe upinamultiethnic of self-the Sephardimnationality was not alien to their way of thinking. It would aseparate be Jewsconstituted that difficult concept the Sephardim majority the of For the to conceive of of Sarajevo, for example, as belonging to the integrationist camp. galut and its needs but we would never prioritize the work the prioritize never would we but needs its and 32 45 44 CEU eTD Collection nationality. In a 1920 brochure a Sarajevo Sephardic lawyer Sumbul Atijas writes: “To be“To a writes: Atijas lawyer Sumbul Sephardic aSarajevo a 1920brochure In nationality. term used the comfortably most whichbut would not threaten their new nationality.finally Yugoslav Here a that was group consideration. into taken being not was felt they which representation Sephardic aspecial around communities evolved two the between early 1920s andinpatriot” you in inthepolitics of –theconflict live participate country arising the be a“good needsto thatone excluding notion the not however nationality, are aseparate Jews indeed idea that an restedon theSephardim of nationalism Diaspora The nationalism”. them who never leftAshkenazim whohad ofWestern “getback and to Central Europe, toJewishness” (unlike it), the theyespecially Ashkenazim, the for was Zionism of idea preferred the and word the felt they because to call their Slavic South of beingthe vernacular with century. beginning twentieth Perhaps replaced the Jewish lived theirfixed Jewish identity and spoke language,theirown whose usage was gradually some sortinto of translated directly which nationality.religion, your only were you identity-wise Jews, Sephardim So from the Muslims “actual” Catholics, Christian Orthodox, society and only Bosnians, without sixteenth century multi-cultural rule. Ottoman Bosnian the In independence from complete or independence onwards the Sephardimpolitical of Bosnia from different resulting Sephardim, Bosnianand Serbian is between theone however systemswas not the only one for Jews in Yugoslavia. The distinction sheof does not explain more the two. Serbian Jew. andaproud PeaceConference) atthe Serbia politicalSerb hemoney in warbondsUS for gain (during wasraising for WWI the and to support lieutenant-colonel in the Serbian Albalaarmy. isneverfailed tobe mentioned as both a proud tradition was one of either a level of This concept definitely presupposed recognition of Jews as separate national identity, national recognition Jews asseparate of definitely This concept presupposed As Freidenreich explains in her book, the choice between Zionism and assimilation Yugoslav 33 meaning abelonging acivic to Yugoslav political persuasion “Diaspora CEU eTD Collection the time came) (when attention to special pay distance to had in Croatia Jews be that might One reasons. no gives but themselves from German ormore interesting to lookHungarian at. Freidenreich saysintegrationism was never as strong as in Croatia are Ashkenazim cultureSerbian Identity-wise, Ashkenazim). the by due dominated staying river, tothe of Croatia’s side other Zemun,on the (Austro-Hungarian inBelgrade Sephardica strong presence due to successwithout in Bosnia. not was whole onthe Zionism organizations, (traditional) Sephardic exclusive over (modern) in younger However, asthe up generations, 1930stendedtofavour growing the Zionist 47 46 in Zionist activities during the period of total from polarization 1924 to1929. was ‘Sephardic used often was which term of Jews (the savages asnoble Sephardim the regarded somewhat leadership who Ashkenazi Zionist often patronizing work the togetherwith wish to not did and possible as much as identity Jewish separate a maintain to wanted Sephardim the that problematicleadership Zionist for the Yugoslav branch) Zionist(especially Sarajevo the was opposed preferring the workYugoslavs.” also and life in Palestine overorganic life part in after the Diaspora.a long period Jew Whatof jointdoes was activity. alsonot mean We areto Jews,withdraw but we are atoneself the same timefrom the nation of which one has grown to be an DrVita Kajon, 1924 meeting of the Federation Executive, in Freidenreich, 147. In Serbia, both integrationism and Zionism were apparently different to Croatia, partly Zionist organization. Also outside of it there is a Jewish nationalist life… nationalist Jewish a is there it of outside Also organization. Zionist full-blooded. Forus,thecentre andof be pivotJewish lifeis found notto withinthe do we recognize on the one side Zionism and on the other side assimilation. Our life is differs from Jewish lifelife in Our other countries. broadly. We do not very see in Zionism Jewry of only two poles,We conceive nor itself. Zionism about will, if you but, Most of us (Sephardim) think differently not only about the methods of Zionist work masses’ 46 Difference between Zionism and Diaspora nationalism was that the latter the that was nationalism Diaspora and Zionism between Difference ). The result was two Jewish newspapers in the town and astandstill and town inthe newspapers Jewish was two result The ). 34 Jews ofYugoslavia , Harriet Freidenreich, 148. 47 CEU eTD Collection 50 49 48 and the other country with equal love. A son has only one mother.” love“Onemay sympathizebut must can love Palestine Yugoslavia. with one Idoubt one one become Zionists. to because their theyraised children bad patriots were (Ashkenazim) who ideology Yugoslav among Serbian “thoseJewry) condemningSava” the Jews across publishedintegrationist, in a statement 1934 (wantingset upa to committee tospread patriotism SerbsYugoslavsthe of or of Mosaicfaith.the AvramLevi Serbian of form in the came integrationism Serbian patriotism. local with conflicted issues with these. The majority of Jews in Serbia was in favour of Zionism and did not see it of the process of weakening of Jewish culture until its complete eradication.” complete its until of Jewish culture weakening of process of the see not whodo continuation wantto the for all necessity those is abare communities [Jewish] a kind non-Zionist of Zionism.Aleksandar Lichtdefinedin it Karlovac in Croatiasay to the political activism the of Croatian Ashkenazim bourgeoisie was from aZionist Stern, Leo drove skills, language had Hebrew any almost nobody factthat the This, anytimehave notit occur and soon. does to that undertone butwith Zionistan thought, part of the important landwas an Holy the to aconnection Naturally belonging. sense of Zion not return Yugoslaviaand buta way to was moral providing a with Jews support of from the reality of the disconnect us butthey Judaism, bringcould ideals not closer to Zionism.through Its us did 1930s was more practical “wehe said know somethingwhen gotto Judaism about only the in Association Communities Jewish the of head Spitzer, Šime anti-Semitism. of way the Cvi is Rothmüller, Zionism only the solution Jewishto the in question, only way tostand the Freidenreich, 340. Židov, 24-25/1919. Freidenreich, 145. As already mentioned, the central idea of the kind of Zionism propagated in propagated Zionism of kind of the idea central the mentioned, As already galut .” 50 35 48 Židov ü , aBelgrade Sephardic : “nationalizing our 49 To people like CEU eTD Collection outside Serbia as pro-centralized hegemonic government. as hegemonic pro-centralized outside Serbia Croat (as a Jew) but also inbeingwhich Croat aproud inwould result somebody not only beingbranded as a dishonest favour of a tendencies if YugoslavitinBelgrade)in So wasaproud one that beideological collision with 1929. would were perceived by politicalit eventually because reasons became (in equated with royal supporting the dictatorship cliques after the creation of the thatnew way Jews will surely be better Croatsstate, or Serbs. The term Yugoslavs came intousage only less so in a senseit was to instill of a sense of “proudpride in one own’s national origin,Yugoslavs” or a Jewish nationality because – Accordingamong tomany South Slav Zionist pioneers (Aleksandar Licht, Lavoslavother Šik/Schick, etc.) andof dealtEurope with kind of of questions what a changeshould Zionism bring about. specificnot tothis part of world) only non-Jewish the were Jewish community and reactions students, studying andmostly abroad, in Vienna.The debates followedthat within (both the Slav South Sephardic and Ashkenazic enthusiastic by century the of turn the at Belgrade and to leave. Haifa.to Although by number 1935 thisdoubled, it if was still a surprise somebody decided Zagreb Jews hadconfirmedandmoved their Palestine, persuasion Zionist to akibbutz close andbutby mentioned topic, has 1930sitthe worn off.in hundred 1932around However, two under Vienna or Pest. So even when the idea of common Jewishness was present in the work Bosnia with its “livingside by side” philosophy, andCroatia whose political developedelites multi-cultural Empires, outside ruling the was jargon.which wasSerbia There and political Zionist Yugoslavia activism throughout took on the specificsof local the political heritage how was sametime) the at identity Yugoslav its own was creating (that state newSlavic the What Zagreb, Sarajevo, of reading population Jewish-papers the to introduced Zionism was forGoldstein,inAccording Palestine a 1920srecruitment to commonly debated was was specific to the makings of Jewish identity in the changed circumstances of circumstances changed the in identity Jewish of makings the to specific 36 CEU eTD Collection divert attention to a simultaneous youth movements of Croatian and Serbian nationalists and Zionists. 53 52 jevrejskihopština Jugoslavije), 98. 51 countries. of their activities respective in nationalist the engaged actively becoming were “nationalities” Slavic of peers their when time same the at wereintroduced later to Zionism, itgeneration of with enthusiasmwhom some accepted great sons, whose or remark) Author’s nationality? Jewish exclusive an had they nation” “host body of the national the so outside asbeing were perceived who or Sephardim the nationality” Jewish of not were who but faith Mosaic the of members of assimilation the ideas of to introduced “were wherethey rights full citizenship gained sons” tradesmen’s Zionism broughthome were from universitiesthe of Vienna, Pragueand Pestby “these and assimilation of ideas the both how shows unintentionally Zagreb) of Steiner Drago so the author refers to it as the Zionism of Yugoslavia) YugoslavJakirthe leaders, in(goy) political especially Zagreb and Belgrade. Eventov of Haifawith riskwant out to not falling did Zionism assimilated that or a kind integrated about an of (formerly conflict within the representatives of these respective countries. In this sense we can even talk of Yugoslav Zionists wasstill there divide enough them to from and totime time cause obvious that there was little difference between completely deserting one’s Jewish faith and faith Jewish one’s deserting completely between difference waslittle there obvious that becomebecame itsoon out haveworked not could sphere.Assimilation private outsidethe residence of country one’s of national the be to and temples, the in and home at Jewish be was to intention everybody’s hesays, emancipation, the After itcame“naturally”. observes: Inthe Croatianpart of the Monarchy this meant anti-Austro-Hunagarian revolt. Mirjana Gross was the first to Ibid. Eventov, Jakir, Eventov, Writinghow and about why Zionism everCroatia gotto (theessay isfrom mid 1950s However, one does not need an academic degree to learn how to assimilate, Eventov toassimilate, to learnhow need not degree an onedoes academic However, Omladina iz1918 51 who were either the first generation to attend universities after Jews had Jews after attend universities to generation first the were either who [The [The Youthof 1918],in 37 Jevrejski Almanah 1955/56 53 52 (unlike the (Beograd:Savez Ostjuden CEU eTD Collection yesterday Hungarian Jews, and left them to their unknown destiny…faced with the with destiny…faced unknown their to them left and Jews, Hungarian yesterday break were until relations upthe to Jewsof everything the with Vojvodina,only who done has “Hungary that Hewrites Unification. the after experienced Jews Vojvodina one of his columns entitled “Political sidings” ( sidings” “Political entitled columns his of one dedicated Licht Aleksandar meant slavicizing. itin of country the rest the German culture, or Jewry in Vojvodina where this process was mostly atassimilatingdirected intoa Hungarian Belgrade really was notJews faror “South greater Slavs ofthan the Mosaicfor somebodyfaith”, in realityin Vienna. the assimilationist Apart from option some in Zagrebof the or the the King and/orKingdom. from those then Yugoslavs being and Serbia/Croatia who were surroundedYugoslavism by boast to a stronger localpapers nationalism thatZionist was interchangeableSarajevo of with the love for editorialship 54 Yugoslav vs. local identity “only” one national ideology to immerse oneself into, apart from the ongoing dilemma of more complex for the Jewry of Yugoslavia than for those living in places wheretheir lives”. there was against their petite bourgeoisie assimilation rebelledbutnotas such against Zionistcause, he only to the who concludes, fathers whoseyouth the all of lost they only that was line assimilationist wish the to blow final The meetings. wasliterary to blend in and “carry on with series meetingsinof town couldthat bebrandedhigh “Jewish”–Jewish school students’ forgotten in the hearts of these Jewish ignoramuses”. Laterfrom he became the patronBerlin of the first in more abletoserve thanhalffor adecade; rabbiHoseaJacobi was like thecharismatic coming the second half(since the Orthodox part of itof was insignificant).so It was a sheer miraclethe then that somebody with begin to 19 assimilationist was community Jewish Zagreb’s him, For assimilating. “only” This is only a personal remark and should not be taken as a fact, but it seems it was easier for the Jewish Although it might seem that the choices of assimilationist lifestyles were somewhat were lifestyles of choices assimilationist the seem that might itAlthough 54 which confused some Croats or Serbs in the same amount as th century, he helped tounveil “Jewishness long 38 Politi þ ko opredjeljivanje ) to the to ) horror vacui CEU eTD Collection even as Croatian nationalist emigres, like Vlado Singer who was killed in the concentration camp Jasenovac camp concentration the in killed was who Singer Vlado like emigres, nationalist Croatian as even 58 1988. Press, University 1999, p.356. The authorquotes Ivo National Banac, Question Yugoslavia:in origins, history, Cornell politics, Ashkenazy is Sorry to Say: Jewish Intellectual Life in Inter War Croatia] in: Zbornik Mirjane Gross, Zagreb, 57 1988), 389. 56 55 in especially Croatia high placesinany parties, mainstream political the of somebody into alaughing stock were well known. For the most part then, Jews did not hold as Pope”, wouldthe –and sayinglineefforts the turn goes the of assimilationist when these Austria/Hungary assimilation still did not mean they were trying to be “more Catholic than remark). for theRadicals,– voted Vojvodina author’s though claim Jews inSerbia–not sources other of theirnationality had a right to opt for foreign citizenship.” “by virtue citizens who to those denied vote government was because for Licht’s text reason many areexperiencing everydayof them anti-Semitismbasis,author’s remark]” on itis becausethat paragraph howunfortunate in over-emphasized endconcludes the only this does not spoil the resultnow muchin Kingdom,bigger watchinglaw night day and sothat anarchy that andorder of his victory… [thesaw the Serbian soldier, a winner after theideal heroic sufferings, as the protector of law and order picture of They Serbian-Jewish tolerant. andtruly democratic truly Serbia, of Kingdom little isthe of note) Yugoslavia relations(Italy, author’s Piedmont the that Butthey knew in Yugoslavia. new life of the a uncertainty are Serbia or Srijem (Slavonia), where Serbs did not constitute a majority a constitute not did Serbs where (Slavonia), Srijem or Serbia the Defense of National Minorities, so to ensure Radical Party wins in the northern part of the on Treaty theSaint-Germain of directive the against strictly went this practice even though 1920 in November elections Assembly in the voting from Hungarians and Jews Germans, They were however motivated to take part in the Socialist Youth circles and later anti-fascist movement, or movement, anti-fascist later and circles Youth Socialist the in part take to motivated however were They Andrea Feldman, Andrea Ivo Banac, Židov , February 9, 1923 As for the rest of the Ashkenazic population who were not this geographically close to National Question in Yugoslavia: origins, history, politics Gospo ÿ ica Ashkenazy žali: Intelektualniživot Židova u me 39 56 This excluded most provision , (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, ÿ 57 uratnoj Hrvatskoj (strange, because (strange, 58 . Although the 55 . Real [Ms CEU eTD Collection d.d. u Zagrebu, 1908. although knowing well Frank’s refusal to be seen as a Slav originates in his pro-Vienna and neither “by tribe, nor by education”. How can one be a Croat and not a Slav, Radi a Slav, not and a Croat be one can How education”. by nor tribe, “by neither part of the quote that he is nota Slav, but only for what was said about him notbeing a Croat, Croatia, writes to explain why he thinks Frank is wrong. He reminds Frank did notsue for the 59 nationalists outside the country, all of these positions were outside the political party happenedsystem. to be “of Jewishorigin”. Since the Communist Party wasoutlawed the inter-warperiod in and served as a convenientsidedowith -his withVienna hadmore his accusations to Jewishness to the willingness detail to add. Radi opponent) of ina lawsuit Frank newspaper sued calling for which a Croatian him – a traitor reminding reader(thethe bookletself-publishedby Radi after the Croatian pro-Nazi regime decided it would not turn a blind eye on even a highly ranked a highly even eye on blind a turn not would it decided regime pro-Nazi Croatian the after mindis Radi Stjepan politicians or simply bad people were sooner or later attacked as Jews. Example that comes to themselves as Jews, neither in religious nor national terms, when attacked as bad or unworthy completely Jewsin, politicsassimilated say,Croatian although neverthoughtof who and some converted of experience the after especially sphere, public of the entering leadership Zionistthe advised). is what todowith atall this (and hadpolitics younothing an of Zionism, advocate were not if you inter warJewry, Croatian least the for and,at present, still a Jew butwas chauvinist Serbiananti- strong with (i.e. patriotism Croatian his sentiment)proving in way the all went and converted andCroatian Rights Party leaderwas Josip Frank died before WWI, the memorystill of somebody who at times attacked by political enemies not for being a Stjepan Radi Stjepan Question that arises here is whether Zionism was the only way for Jews of Yugoslavia ü , Frankova politi ü ’s pamphlet on the Croatian Rights Party Frankpolitician RightsParty Josip Croatian ’s pamphleton the þ ka smrt [Frank's Political Death], Tiskom Hrvatske Pu Hrvatske Tiskom Death], Political [Frank's ü , later to become the most popular politician in 40 ü and entirely about his andentirely about political þ ke Selja ke ü Ustaša þ wonders, ke Tiskare ke who 59 , CEU eTD Collection majority established itself as a constituent factor in of countries these factor affairs internal itself as a the constituent majority established Sephardic The identity. Bosnian/Yugoslav and Jewish their together bringing with problems concludes. And that is leastthewhich for at awhilein inanincrease resulted remarks anti-Semitic discourse. public reason whypublic didnotattackhim on groundsthe ofhimbeing butfor abad Croat being aJews, it is not the indictment sidedmemberfor Rights with thus party the Budapest), and (voted of another honorable to undermine theto (Croatian) patriotism of the other. When Hinkovi desert Josef and asMoses each other to referred who faith wereconverts politics Croatian of mainstream of one’spicture fathers, if itwould Jewishof in insults,be agrotesque appearedtothe audience country.the It petty Schickwas not so mainstream Croatian onework can party imagine toblendonly howthese efforts in, ending tragic, Lavoslavspectrum internalof politics. Since these were the only (known) cases of Jews participatingCroatian” in “most the to belonged ideologically both SchickIronically, other. the of origin Croatian” says, twoto otherinthe writingspublic by his “Jewish”name, aiming to insultby therevoking “non- men who tried of “Croats belonging Rights two opposingJewish origin”,lines of of often Party the to refer to shape two more, the Even is hardto resist. toinsultwhen the chance use fact this they to are quick the finallyschool in the for adopt nameheis Vienna, being known to just under today) Jews, politician,Hinkovi Hinko all. Slavs at they are not pretends it that neighbours Orthodox their from different so Croats sees which stand anti-Serbian The Jews of Bosnia and Serbia, especially the Sephardim, seemed to have fewer have seemed to Sephardim, the especially Serbia, and Bosnia The Jewsof Although Radi ü never states he is attacking Frank or another Croatian Rights Party ü (born Heinrich Moses, changed into Heinrich Mose Heinrich Moses,changedinto Heinrich (born 41 ü made a political r when at when faux pas faux CEU eTD Collection could be nominated onlycandidate Jewish onSo a the basis level. of municipal his the on meritsexcept as a party impractical, highly loyalist,was list Jewish not primarilyseparate a of as a Jew.concept representationand the diverse characterof the Jewishpopulation, bothgeographically ideologically,and the 62 61 60 voters Jewish opposition bloc) hadnoininterest lobbying for attention speciallyand vote for their possible inefficient the and party regime single a by replaced was which system semi-parliamental number,Yugoslav so political (this 1929when parties wasbefore one couldstill talk of a little their crucial due to vote Jewish wasthe in Sarajevo except nowhere this wasthat in the Turkish parliament, shortly before the collapse asJews” specifically of the Ottoman Empire. The reason for tooffice andelected appointed Jews were inBosnia that was only “It Social-Democrats. stranka power” Jewish life in Bosnia. He writes that Jews “politically sided with political parties thatgranum salis were in tobecomemotivated involved last although inpolitics, this remark should betaken highly were Jews claims and politics Bosnian in inter-war Jews of names the mentions briefly Pinto Avram author Bosnian The Ashkenazi). the for harder still was it (although elections for Assembly.the As in Bosnia, acouple of membersprominent of Belgrade’s without saying there could not have beenthey a Zionist should party feel not that did lands) come Czech foughtin the (unlike citizens Jewish its forof out most powerYugoslavia, intointer-war in in any theof the politicalSince change. positive a to contribute can it that or involved, person the to sphereimportant issue an primarily as Jews,work of a specificthis party or politics saysin the in generalparticipate to comes motivation fromenough.believe to a belief reasonable seems itthis but work behavior can contribute political people’s It to goes As Freidenreichexplains, considering the nature of Yugoslav voting system withits proportional Freidenreich, 174. Avram Pinto, Avram 60 ), Democrats, Yugoslav Muslim Organization and the Socialist Labour Party or the and goes to list Jewish members of People’s Radical Party ( Party Radical People’s of members Jewish list to goes and because the rest of his book gives a somewhat rosy and idealistic picture of Jevreji Sarajeva i Bosne iHercegovine 62 . This workis innoway aimed attryingexplain to the reasons behind 61 Freidenreich points out, reminding Bosnian Jewry had representatives had Jewry Bosnian reminding out, points Freidenreich 42 (Sarajevo: VeselinMasleša, 1987), 157. Narodna radikalna cum CEU eTD Collection who was the first one in Bosnia to put out northern Bosnia) from Gustav unlikehim, Vienna (formerly Prijedor, that Seidmann prove of a Jewish flag for a public holiday, Jews from his 63 Bosnia of Memories was imagined. concept the way the for Yugoslavs, candidates were perfect believehappenin aJewishnationality, to and clear sinceitnot whowas Bosnian, they was not SlavicAshkenazim, of process did the ended.after If adopting vernacular the south they wish for, depending on the person) real assimilation the could (or of only be applied threat the and to one the linguistic the was otherwise) argued be can it Sephardim Serbian Croats). However, and claim bySerbs easyto were latter the Bosnia (but of Muslims the and Jews for the the only “assimilation”least at categories, national other of in absence proclaim,to convenient was identity national that the Bosnianin suggest would Yugoslavcould Bosnia, which astrictly a role kindthat play then of Sephardim underwentidentity one(for could the nation-state takecivic or no was fact there the due to category asasocial question the of was out on as a primary one. Yugoslav identity was thus the first one thatardent Zionist). which he ran (I was unable to find outwhether this had anything todo with the fact he was an one among Jewishfigures leading tobe not electedfor the Belgrade municipalcouncil for only the was who Albala David like politics “mainstream” and activities Zionist reconcile community and aRadicalin deputy theConstituent Assemblyin1927,some managed to Sephardic the of member active Demajo, Šemaja like non-Zionist, were a career as politics pursuing involved Jews most although Interestingly, Socialists. or Democrats or Radicals as such parties regime in the mainly life, political in Serbia’s out stood community Sephardic See appendix. 63 For the Sephardim in Bosnia, the option of becoming Bosnians of the Mosaic faith before and after WWI of an occasional contributor to 43 Židov and Jevrejski glas , CEU eTD Collection Nation, MA Thesis, Central European University, Nationalism Studies, 2008. 65 the country was quite the opposite; Serbia lost “its” King so it was expected it was seen as a itas was seen itwas expected so “its” King lost Serbia opposite; the was quite country the his majesty’s be goodness, afterdevastated or his assassination in(sentiment parts other of period? one,For means it praising theKing –and theZionist press neverfailsinform to about makes Yugoslavs”. Sowhat Yugoslav” acitizen inter-war“good inof Yugoslavia a the rare assimilationistor publications and is both pamphlets that had tobe reasons seen as “good 64 Serbian/Croatian nationalists. “offaith”, and Mosaic the of Croats author] Serbs the [known polemic noto Radi leader,Stjepan Party Peasant Croatian the casewith the would notresist opportunity discredit the histo nationalism by hisalluding to “tribe”, as was Jewish origin” a“Serb of Jewor a Serbian Jewry, from Serbian a response if was Even there chauvinist. Serbs aCroatian as attacked of origin” Jewish “Croat Frank, a leader,Party Josip andidentity aSerbian Croatian inclinedin national studiedfor Zagreb identity, Belgrade sameapplying the towards was: it whichever administration, current the they supported letting know with most comfortable were home town See Jovana Mihajlovi Gustav Seidmann, What comes to light when “reading between the lines” of the Zionist press like press Zionist the of lines” the between “reading when light to comes What who Muslims Bosnian those that argument the of reminds sentence last the Although depending on politicalthe orientation of Jewthe inquestion flag, Croatian/Serbian the one, up only officialstate or put Muslim.the Jews would flag,house in dependingwhether familyliving the was Serbian, the or Croatian green Hungarianone couldblack see flag, and yellow the evensometimes Austrian redwhitethe and becauseand you wantedto other times felt becauseyouAt you hadto. the beginning one. Later,At the time [Bosnia aroundyou WWI], it was a common couldthing to put out flags, sometimes see the Croatian, Serbian and the Ottoman Jevrejska zastava ü Trbovc, Forging Identity throughNegotiation: The Case of the Contemporary Bosniak 65 , they are only rare examples when, for instance, the Croatian Rights Croatian the instance, for when, examples rare only are they , [The [The JewishFlag], 44 Jevrejski glas, 1933/14-15 ü . For a similar reason, there is there reason, a similar For . 64 . Židov as CEU eTD Collection 68 and Croats and the Independent State of Croatia], in: Historijski Zbornik, God.LVI-LVII (2003-2004), 158. on King’s and people’s welfare.” people’s and King’s on truly andapplaud this King’sact emphasizewe shall that into all working efforts put of our groups forgroup in political they separate belonged we andforbids thepeoplepurposes… to a guarantee for a full equality commentsof allon the new King’sof its constitution people as “being built onregardless principles of complete unity and of which religion or tribe (sic) parliamental activities and the constitution, an article from of cover from the anarticle constitution, andthe activities parliamental stop mobster mobs to come and destroy printing machines every now and then laws were only of decorative nature – courts did rule against censorship but nobody could family liberaldeveloped most in the system in Europe between its1903 and liberal 1914, 67 to be mightseen itbecauseas frownedanti-Croatian King it(which theupon so praises or based in Zagreb whoarewritingand people it it andediting Croatian Zionists,notdoes want write in a way to remain side. does stay only King’s good Not on the to everythingpossiblenot totry and do seen as a good citizen have yourof leadership for the political country cause,anditthe berooting would smart not of the whole Kingdom,want to sense perfectmakes itbe to Politically, to seen done andloyal citizens. as supportive but, because it is 66 into Kingdom with belief royal the the of a Yugoslavia Karathe that dynasty of Jewishnotonly press. with practice ceremonial phrases was to insure possible censorship inconveniences and was a common Jewish origin”, VladoSinger). Andrea Historian Feldman believes supporting the King with Croatian nationalist inAfteralready all,well King progress. by wasassassinated the Macedonian the and émigrés. Interestingly,great loss, but nationalisms parts the of non-Serbian of Kingdom the inmid-1930swere one of the minds of the attack was a “Croat of Ivo Goldstein, Feldman, Židov , September4, 1931 On a similar note, even though there was public outrage after the abolition of abolition the after outrage public was there though even note, a similar On Gospo Hrvatska uKraljevstvu SHSiNDH (1918-1945) ÿ ica ica Ashkenazy , 356. 68 66 Psychologically, this makes sure everything has been makes sureeverything this Psychologically, Ivo Goldstein also states that even though Serbia came 45 [Croatia in the Kingdom of Serbs, Slovenes 67 Židov . in 1931 ÿ or Židov ÿ evi ü CEU eTD Collection “anti-Semitism stems right from their [Serbian] souls” [Serbian] their from right stems “anti-Semitism that and inCroatia, press by Serbian anti-Semitic the mainly attacked Jewsare Croatian local disregardentirely eventhough toZionism say dedicated patriotism and goes to that fully to ready not is Zionism) Slavic South of (“Licht”) light the as him about talks obituary considerably philosemitic, and yet, there is no real evidence for this). What hefor probably is this).What noreal there evidence and yet, considerably philosemitic, be Croatian nationalistsThat is why there areand no Jewish assimilants who want tobe Serbsdeny but only those who want to Serbs as a separateoutside nation (thisSerbia would itself meannewspapers main while Serbs’ paper anti-Semitic minor therewas one only coming out, Croatia (so inwas Vojvodina,journal, first Zionist the in before sees it, while Croatia Licht Sarajevo As surrounding? own his from anti-Semites the not and and anti-Semites main as Serbs Zagreb)highlight were all openlyand Serbian-Zionistelites would swearon friendshipthe between the two. Why didLicht anti-Semitic. time since Serbian same some odd atthe seems Jews. This with friends Zionist the are Serbs andwas heard). somewhere German Jews, or ones of converted from probably itthose mostis madecomes attack the byemphasizing (often easier the Mosaic faith,lost a greatwho son.inform The only political momentarily purposes and does notideologicalreflect histhe real nature and that Croatia has indeed local enemies press of he used anti-Semitica remarksPurim from time to time but the editorship just knows it was partyonly for took place other Croatian weekly at the time. The obituary for Radi obituary time. The the at weekly Croatian other 69 Radi Stjepan leader, Party Peasant Croatian the of death the until in Parliament the shooting the after So itself). in Croatia despised Gross, Interestingly enough, Aleksandar Licht, Aleksandar enough, Interestingly Ravnopravnost bez jedankovrijednosti , 123. ü 46 , Židov spiritus movens Židov is as shocked and grief stricken stricken isasshockedandgrief as any 69 ü thus remains the anti-Semitic press although he admits some respected headmits although is especially interesting – itadmits – interesting isespecially of the Croatian Zionists (his Židovska smotra , started CEU eTD Collection Mirjana Gross. Mirjana was still his public opinion, no matter how benign somebody thought it was. following lines: following the majorityAlthough man”. little the of “enemy of possible as but theirhard-working, honest, the of one as Jew supporters the saw never that basis) religious were or racial on not (and illiterate revolutionaries agrarian of version so there was noin Both inwere anti-Semitic,martyr hewasshot the parliament. Belgrade after although the danger they would read brothers, one of whom was probably most the popular in politician Croatia andturneda the 70 most country of where votingthe thebody ledsupported Croatian Peasant Party,by Radi the something onother considerably different occasions. Hewasnofool, knowinghelived ina said he whether today know not might we because be wrong would conclusions strong believing arenowhere they near anti-Semitism Serbs since the are? Drawing these of kinds to, and making the Serbian side appearmore anti-Semitic so that the Croatian side would start “Other”. political the of member a into assimilate to productive ithoped), stays why would introduceunclear thisidea, heeven sinceitwould becounter- life(one in one’s ishave lessdrama to assimilation ideaof the Since parties). political wouldinclude Orthodoxy, possibly preferencethe of Cyrillic supportingscript, Serbian noJews were there was that meant AntunRadi Was Licht then siding with the “natural political enemy” of the country he “belonged” he country the of enemy” political “natural the with siding then Licht Was ü , CroatianPeasant Party, It’s nouseIt’s even ifaJew to thepeople converts: a Jew is always aJew in Croatia Collected Works 47 who wanted to become Serbs (and this identity this (and Serbs become to wanted who , 1937in Ravnopravnost bez jednakovrijednosti 70 , this ü , CEU eTD Collection individuals from Zagreb area who did not want to stand out as Jews in their world of business Jews). European from dangers warn of Jewry public and German German to main goal was žid 72 ( lands Czech the Group), Youth (Serbian-Jewish in Serbia existed organizations note) of Jewish faith who want to prove their loyalty to the new state.” new the to loyalty their prove to want who faith Jewish of note) enough to leave the members with choice of whether they were one or the other, author’s 71 Breyer establishes new types ‘spiritual inof and thelaststages,Zionism that ghettos’ is counter-productive, ideas“ConvincedCroatia” ofZionismisolation, lead wasadded). into that and methods to in and anti-Zionists assimilants of Jewish is “association that why perhaps so for stands circle bookseller Mirko Breyer from Varaždin innorth foundedCroatia who an assimilationist outside actual the physical space of local the Jewish council. on lobbyany councilsof issuesthecommunities the for facedor hadto and theircause able werecompeteleadership notwith evenZionist anti-Zionist to Zionist the or supporters non- the onwards, from early 1920s elections representative in councils’ Jewish out the whilein still part life, taking community although line thenon-Zionistafter losing starting Israel Eretz Goldstein, Andrea Feldman, Andrea ) or the Alliance of German-national Jews which was led by Max Naumann, but whose Narodni rad Names involved inNames involved the of work This was the case with a well-known and (supposedly)for enthusiasm the shared circles Jewish local their in active was who everybody Not respected author and Židovi u Zagrebu of of their Jewish council’s Zionistmembers. Some refrained from Zionist activities 72 Gospo (“People’s Work”). Nothingactually (“People’sin Work”). name the group what reveals the Narodni rad ÿ ica ica Ashkenazy žali , 173. as an organization andof asan Croats organization Yugoslavs (he was kind 3.3 Narodnirad in Narodni rad Zbornik Mirjane Gross Mirjane Zbornik 48 mostly included already well-established already included mostly , 355. Ostjuden Svaz 71 (Eastern Similar ý ehu- CEU eTD Collection 74 73 chests.” their on note) author’s medals, (King’s medals Aleksandrine of of putting pressure on their Serbian competitors. In fact, both Alexanders had a fair collection governments, they were certainly notknown for promotion of Croat nationalism with the aim by fiscalBelgrade the measures promulgated motivated numberresent of any politically ran forsoup kitchens Zagreb’sdown “And and out. though brothersthe had surely reason to that society charitable a of founder the and Slavonia, and Croatia for Merchants of Alliance Zagreb Chamber of Commerce, presidentfor life of a commercial association, and also of the A.honorary presidentthe of Fair. wasthe Trade of vice-presidentthe Zagreb the Šandor Morgenblatt). He was the honorary president of Zagreb’s Association of Industrialists, and in chemical industry, language coal, and cement, Tagblatt, German press Zagreb’s (Agramer D. Šandor breweries over took foundedtwo in Croatia, andhadinterestfactory, Zagreb’s oil keep uphis business success. to he father’s managed Sesvetski,Alexander Šandor A.pl. Zagreb’s no thecasewith Such was good. statements” dothem would such “strong makingfelt they but origin, Jewish their hid necessarily they mean not did This etc). commerce, (trade, the support for Jewish around home. support Zagreb’s the nationalism at group nationalismlook badbusiness would in toof parts associates other Kingdom,the sowould could beseen as beradical “badfor Asmuch business”. potentially Croatianwould as politicsthat of with kind any nameconnected having one’s seems It that andhis entourage. from outside at Zagreblooks Serbia) them of as supporters centralized unitarism Kingthe of nationalistsin Belgrade, and ifthey Belgrade support ardently (especially if they are coming havingdeal to with politics –if they side with Zagreb they are regardedas Croatian elite” Jewish of Croatia-Slavonia’s representative “the archetypal Ibid. Banac, 409. This comment from Banac reminds of reasons often cited as to why Jews avoided Hevra Kadisha president, Šandor D. Alexander, whom historianthe Ivo Banac calls 49 73 . Together with his brother his with Together . Židov 74 exclaimed on the on exclaimed CEU eTD Collection something like a regular newspaper for all those who wanted their non-Zionist voice to be to voice non-Zionist their wanted who those all for newspaper regular a like something 75 around circle The this issue). hand,financing German-cultured sideseem of the identity not presenttheir did them to with a stigma, especiallylist bearinginmindbusiness held the positions of they (on other the exclamationlike probably stated brothers to seemed toAlexander itmightcarry much too of of but sideabove the people, you amount of a reasonable on good Jewish included,keptthe onochi! issue first page of everybody first atevery “ should that given exclaim their opportunity Udruženje „ only only interests andour calling aplace outside these homeland. borders our it… We do not want to makeWewantnotit… to do asaspecial ourselves afence around of this part their of inseparable an and beliefs conscience arebytheir whoparty or tendencies political regardless faith Jewish the of citizens Yugoslav other and Croatian all gather faiths on every We want to work for faith but not of the Mosaic faith. orProtestant Mohammedan and Orthodox, of Serbs the canbe there Croats that theory accept Zionist the to We faiths. refuse membersof other is casewith people,the as our are equally people and Serbian Croatian believe the that to wants organization Our surroundings… from culturally our us aimingpeopleat detaching are Serbian havepeople.nothingfeeling Thesespreadersof Zionism,they incommon with our and Croatian the to belong to them for impossible is it that youth our to prove have their transformed wisdom havingafter in acquiredit landsother and trying to whonationalists of Jewish these propaganda systematic We againstthe risen have The first conference of the of conference The first leaders. asour themselves imposehard who to pursue theirare kicking wantown and to personal ambitions We donotwanttoseparate [from people]justour toplease a few individuals who of destiny Croatianthe the and people Serbian is ourown destiny as that well. feel We Zionists. few a by led minority national a of sort some are ”, “I am a Jew!”. One can imagine that charitable work for the city for thecity community, work charitable imagine that Onecan aJew!”. ”, “Iam Narodni rad“ people Narodni rad aspect , Zagreb, 1922-23., no page number. page no 1922-23., Zagreb, , to use to their strength to work on the national welfare and topromote of our national interests. We decline the Zionist theory that we common published justthe onepublicationpublished neverstartand tried to Narodni rad goals with Croatian and Serbian co-patriots of other 50 organization goal organization defined our follows: to as nation 75 , pursuing Ivri CEU eTD Collection rad the from clear is group assimilationist the bothered really that something was it said he when right was Eventov That all). at one be should there whether question the (or school Jewish the in was Zagreb debate Zionist vs. assimilationist the for battlefields One of the … ” [Croatian/Yugoslav, realize note] author’s theirnational goals are national our goals aswell; people our as diminish will anti-Semitism believe we abroad; all it take and (Yugoslav) culture; people;Zionists Thisare takingcountry members(Yugoslav) of Croatian lie: “Weare loyalty andthe attachment wheretheir show great is sumsour homeland;of money, theearned whentwenty or soherewe pages contribute inin clear our short homeland sentenceshaving sohard worked toprove their belonging. All everthey say wished to laid was in out to which a culture,were to prove their determinationit is the and Croatian 77 76 butwhocountry havelet (Yugoslavia) Yugoslavs (which ever term they preferred)“progressive Croatsor the weekly bickering with nationalists”the whoappearedto as traitors not because they have letAfterheard. all, if was there an paperof assimilationist itsimilarwould kind, into down a turn their Ibid. Ibid. pamphlet where they where they state: pamphlet 76 our people… and see as enemies everybody who is not a national Jew a national not is who everybody enemies as see and people… our our homeland,school iswho creating preach and a Jewish thisbringsense solidarity together create Zagreb’s people and equality?! of rift. detachment It is run byDo we want peopleto create anew ghetto? Today when the entire who enlightenedfrom worldconsider wants to toall, themselvescut themno matter foreignersoff fromof all faiths, Jewish children too. Why thishaveinhow special Jewish schools then?! Do weculture, want importantchildren religion. his to isregardless or education of guaranteed citizenship Religious and create issues them can attend a every child that law guarantees schools, andthe riftstate public betweenof them we have from restof population such schoolsthe wasnecessary.separated Today lived we and when times During otherpast. times of remnant non-modern children? isa school Jewish them 51 down and stripped themnakedagain,after 77 . Narodni CEU eTD Collection of the piece states that: piece states of the Židov de-MagyarisedGermanised or beenough to perceived as“one of us”). towards their if Jewishco-fighters too, wereany,there whoby and de- 1914 still have not free and linkbetween and Serbia.” their Israel become thus the strongest hearts promised landin find butweshall that ahope comfort they will leave behind partof a great States: “We shall be sorry if a single one of our Jewish compatriots leaves us to return to their Vesni Milenko Affairs, Foreign of minister Serbian resentment arosefrom that defendhavingoppressing to HabsburgMonarchy the the (maybe Magyars and Austrians of otherness the with equated was Jews of otherness the Slavs South the of most for since did, Serbian way the in brethren as compatriots Jewish their seen have not might they Patriotism-wise sort. of crisis identity an experiencing were were fighting side by in side Serbian uprisings, Slavs the within fightingEmpire, inWWI, find anything similar tothis at thesame timein While Croatia? No. Serbs andSerbian Jews life”. patriarchal Jewish “workcitizens: on staying faithful youryourto religion, traditions andyour Jewishpeoplethe likes (power of with suggestion?), Iwhobespokethe ofKingPeter tohis 81 80 Schick. of Lavoslav Correspondence 79 78 Kara of the lived rule underthe they more, Even Croatia. of Jews the troubled that atmosphere us” against or us “with of kind the As portrayed in the novels of the Yugoslav writer Miroslav Krleža. Nacionalna i sveu i Nacionalna Židov Jevrejski glas deals with “the relations of Croatian Jews towards Croatian patriotism” Croatian towards Jews Croatian of relations “the with deals , April 16, 1918. Early after the proclamation of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, an article in It is often brought to attention integrationism of Serbia’s Jews generally did not imply , May 13 1932 78 þ ilišna knjižnica u Zagrebu (NSK; National University Library in Zagreb), Trezor R6965, Trezor Zagreb), in Library University National (NSK; Zagrebu u knjižnica ilišna On a similar note, Lavoslav Schick reports how in December 1917 ÿ or ÿ evi ü 52 dynasty, as a rule depicted as a great friend of asagreat depicted asarule dynasty, ü , says to David Alkalaj while touring the touring while Alkalaj David to says , 81 . The author . The 79 80 Can one Can was felt was CEU eTD Collection language, so as notbelanguage, to aliens.” viewed so as Croatian the well Croatian as adoptas names to hencethere wasatendency Zagrebscene; the be gain in Jews,seemed to tryingthe hardto acceptance on century especially twentieth the Sarajevo… infrequent eitherBelgradeor less much inbutwere Zagreb, occasionally occur that Ashkenazim were more likely to slavicize their names in the first place, since they since place, first in the names their slavicize to likely more were Ashkenazim that Breyer), Ma 83 82 Brajkovi as surnames such Hence names. first their slavicize and radically names family their change to lands Slav South in the elsewhere Jews fellow their than likely more were Zagreb of “the Ashkenazim Freidenreich that madeby is observance the there population, “native” the to closer of getting processes in different Jewsresulted Serbia’s Freidenreich, 53. Ibid. To give another example of how the different starting positions of Croatia’s and children.” butonly mother astep-mother which them not asher treats own children butonly step- their not is patria their realize they country, the for love from them divides that over the place. But when they sense the rift created by the anti-Semitic public and one leaning are Croatian they being although sentiment, are still towards all tuned down OurJewstoo suppressedpeoples. understand other pain of note] [Zionist,author’s the sentiment would be more present was it not for anti-Semitism… Only self-aware Jews most Jews gained an ability pamperto Croatian patriotism. There isno doubt patriotic issomething aboutthis,couldfamilies. Onlypublic how that and do exactly education patriotic sentiment, and was the reason for ate-arrival of the Croatian word into Jewish Jew evenifthere; you dothey Thisare converted. has caused ourJews lackto in find mostyou country the around unlikely – area a Jewish offices Visitthe to writer? heard of ever Have you hereinCroatia? over about What Jews. their without cultures also with even Onetheir sword… cannot pen Hungarian and German of or think respective host-nations. Jews did not work for these peoples onlyetc. economically, but Notalso peoplebut whoknewhow tostandupfor Jews. Look at Zola, Nietzsche, Lessing,Gorki, nation, every in anti-Semites are manyThere philo-Semite. be a would who man names,Croatian a notknow do Croatian of haswriter person;I a great described ever that a Jewasakind read never have I Personally, anti-Semitism. butacross come always have enough Jews winning over. to with deal systematically seriously and would a single today who is not Croat There encourage patriotism of the Jews for their þ elski, or Rodani 82 Au contraire! ü , which are not very readily identifiable as Jewish would Not asingle grain likingof is beto found. Our Jews 83 She does notemphasize at this point of the book 53 ü (formerly CEU eTD Collection Serbian Youth of Mosaic Faith”: of the Youth Serbian published “Address Group an Youth to the In 1897 spokesmen Serbian-Jewish the of one of in meantthings differentSerbia andCroatia. like general assimilation/integration tendencies “brethren” Slavic their of building nation debate on vs. Jewishassimilation nationalism Jewish nation building and tothe asopposed during WWI, social circumstances were quite different to Croatia, both when it came to the turn the nationalismof and century the presence,Serbian at of rise the during especially of course their the over of Serbia established Sephardim the specificrelationship the Because of in too. organized work out Serbia carried assimilationists Ashkenazic Primarily anyhow. and hadassimilation, they beenliving with relatively name-pool this small for centuries names were one of the ways of retaining theirspecial identity, especially after language “evil Empire” the of remind not did they one for because names Sephardic with so different was It of. remind the Sephardim did not feel this kind of social pressure. Secondly, their 85 84 something never did, Gjalski) KsaverŠandor writer the or Strossmeyer bishop (like intellectuals or politicians Croatian leading few albeit same, the did movement Illyrian the in active were who Slavs South Many Empire. the with issues Croatia’s “Austro-Hungarian sounding” mightwhich have been seen as “inconvenient” due to Ibid. Freidenreich, 144. Serbs, and as such they must belong to the Serbian nation belong Serbian mustthe they to andassuch Serbs, Mosaic faith, Mosaic the of Serbs themselves declare solemnly must land in this my ancestors… we must openly state our patriotism and all our coreligionists who are faith of holy that of practice …the in theleastwith interfere evencannot, not,or will inmyBecause Iamconfident mysoul and fatherland Serbia that tolerant dear fully Yes, I feel, I am, and indeed I want to and I must be a true Serb, a Serb Mosaic. 84 . Freidenreich draws attention to how even such even how to attention draws Freidenreich . 54 85 . Židov was happy to CEU eTD Collection 89 88 questioning homeland. theirtothe commitment indirectly by theirZionists,it patriotism questioning called onthem, openly usually or is probably most coming from Ashkenazi the side. If anti-Semitic presswasnot referring to asSerbs” die and will Serbs, as “born were and Serbian, but nationality other any of being as felt never have faith theMosaic of citizens some realize should accusers thatthese states indirectly itso brethren), enough (it reads as ifpatrioticJews werenot that it accusations as areply was written seems to It otherwise. some anonymous “Serbs” wanted to clear the name of their Mosaic 87 86 Serbs.” Mosaic only There are Jews. no are there because question’, is no‘Jewish there environment close it… Hereinour for reason neverany was here, there and separation kind of is There for any as their noplace this country own. “honestly embrace a positive term) and other parts, they state) for those who were able to assimilate (the author/s use it exclusively as simultaneously.” that onecontention the with disagree to tended Jews Serbian “most that writes She nation. a Jewish could of theexistence exclude not did concept this homeland, Serbian the for love their emphasized notfaith Mosaic the of Serbs or Jews Serbian although that believe to tends Freidenreich be a nation, Serbian the only mentions loyal Koen, Leon author, the paragraph this in Although Serb and a Jewish nationalist, or even a Zionist, Ibid. Ibid. Freidenreich, 145. Srbi-Mojsijevci 89 An article written by “Serbs of the Mosaic faith” from Niš in southern Serbia Because it mentions “our fathers” who moved here a hundred years ago, thearticle years ago, moved hundred here who a “ourmentions fathers” Becauseit (Mosaic Serbs), (Mosaic 86 88 . There was never any hatred in their part of the homeland (unlike in (unlike homeland the of part in their hatred any never was There . Jevrejski glas , Sarajevo. , 55 87 proves CEU eTD Collection within the South within the Slav land oppositionSouth the meant Austrians to foritand Magyars whileother beenkeep up madewith to South the Slavicbuilding nation whichfor some political lines remained known as Bosnian Jews. administrationwas always somebody’s under that a place was 1918 until Since Bosnia develop. and there to Mosaicfaith of of Serbs theconcept for allowing hence nation, Serbian the making of was the with identified and witnessed former nothe Sephardim: Bosnian and Serbian overwhelmingbetween indeed adifference was there of“nationalizing”, process this of Because nationalisms). majority itCatholicsmeant and Orthodox being claimed by competingthe Croatian and Serbian one shouldin religiousother groups of“nationalizing” process the weregoingBosnia through (for tie oneself identity happened samethe time anational becameequatedwith which eventually at one, to, religious whose community they introvert close-knit a stayed they meant primarily which Empire, during First the Serbian Uprising) whilein they Bosnia heritagereflected the of Ottomanthe not (although Empire Ottoman the against revolt through evolved which nation-building the Sephardim of Bosnia to when referring talk about authors that element” “natural were a or population country’s the and Serbia. In Serbiain becauseneitherdeveloped groups Serbia unlike bonds” Bosnia, of and the “historical with Sephardic Jews tookis. This was “strange” that equally Jewish”, were “equally both meantnothing, difference part in the process Sephardicof communities in Split and Dubrovnik), for example, the small Sephardic-Ashkenazi of exception the (with Croatia In them. perceived society surrounding the how of because but world sawthe orAshkenazi traditions in way the Sephardic radically different because Thelatter was Jewish therewassomething not they so to. groups two belonged livingin hadbeen of sometimes the depending and they which partof country the which on For the secular Ashkenazi (i.e. not the Orthodox) assimilation meant that efforts have efforts that meant assimilation Orthodox) the not (i.e. Ashkenazi secular the For Assimilation proved to be a different experience for the Jews of Yugoslavia 56 CEU eTD Collection wear they will undress you, and werewe (Zionists) harsh and should blunt: help “it them is do ofso. no They use refuseto take to haveoff the Jewish suit… whatever you decide to such as publicationsthe by thewritings Viennalocal Pest, to andnot or the cause, isnowentirely patriotism devoted evenif parts lessso. of country, the other not more actually), ardentthan nofrom proved both (from groups those Zionists of Sarajevo, ideology, the in nationalist neither embrace adominant wherethey a place could Sephardim, aboriginal the neither are they since Ashkenazim, Bosnian the from come have should payers Jewsshekel-provide most the a causeof according Although with tothis equation own. their itviewed thatwill as something spoils the of itundo while for the was to others assimilation older ZionismAshkenazi sideambivalent: generations sentimentwas towards from the was not as felt, developments in Slavic South the for program notapply did Sephardim,but the pressure the as the examplemean upwith this This not the rule).keeping sentimentdid tothe (naturally, with exceptions with nationalist Croatian/Serbian from strong andSerbia refrained Jewsfrom Croatia generally but the name changing some confusion the of Slavs, maybetowards added to included South other which resentment show. Because of all this the Croatian and notLadino sothat one day they would have better job options. purely like reasons, practical enrollingyour into schools children that taught in Serbo- meaningparticular in is everydaylife. That only whythe assimilation was one the out of not indeed anidentity wasa Yugoslav was of wentaround, but term that choice any that in Bosnia? but faith, Mosaic aCroat of the or you becameaSerb then argue mightthat one become if you were an assimilated Sephardic Jew? In Serbia or Croatia (Split, Dubrovnik) Since the Sephardim had no reason to have to prove to their surrounding that their that surrounding their to prove to have to reason no had Sephardim the Since Reactions to anti-ZionistsReactions to byZagreb’s Aleksandar Licht anybody or writing for Narodni rad seem downright ridiculous to them. Who were you to 57 Židov CEU eTD Collection tolerating the appeal of assimilation of appeal the tolerating Zionist voice“, April1918. two on “sitting are who Jews from benefit not does it and notion, life-changing a radical, is Jew has nothing to hide, not even his name (unlike the former!). The reply is simple: Zionism a Zionist that symbol strong a perhaps articles, most of authors the on letting bother usually butbecausethe paperdoesnot maybeZionistopinion, acoincidence issigned, this one Schick whothought any Jew can bring together (Slavic) patriotism andZionism. Lavoslav of reminds citizen) other any as welfare community’s in (participating host-nation contributing to the Zionist cause for all those Jews who are not safe in their places) and their (keeping both Jews pride, their canbenefit nationality” themselves “double conclusion that of Its Zionism). by over won not ones merely (or supporters non-Zionist similar across come not does one because issues first ofthe one itwas maybe because – standpoint Zionist inone article andwhen Only spat their umbrellas. open at, rain only is it pretend they much how matter no sentiment, anti-Semitic of disappearance are Jewsonlyby Jewswho pathetic “these denial” brethren, their warn openly they same: the are follow might that conversion or assimilation 93 92 less anti-Semitism. the Zionist press. Assimilationist advocates probably thought better than try to prove a “lowerprofile” leads to like 91 90 live endlessshame.” you areour – to right present which callsfor dignity and thefuture which is aworthy ideal of a people whohave a professors… for nothing you betray yourheritage which should your makeyou proud, university Bolsheviks withyou arewellfed,or do you, anything of whether regardless to That is knownto the author. It is titled NeitherGoldstein norFreidenreich make the connectionbetween the disappearance of assimilationist groups Židov, 24-25/1919; quoted in Goldstein, Židov Narodni rad , 1924. Already the next issue of next Already the and the rise of anti-Semitism (or the rise of the talk of anti-Semitism) that mostly preoccupied Dvostruka narodnost (Double nationality Židov Židovi u Zagrebu 93 , and strangely for the journal, it comes from a non- a from comes it journal, the for strangely and , brings a “harsh Zionist response”. Unlike the non- the Unlike response”. Zionist “harsh a brings 90 58 Throughout the 1920s Throughoutthe , 175. 92 that assimilating will not result in result not will assimilating that Židov ) and signed by a “non- 91 ever comes close to Zionist reactions to CEU eTD Collection opština Jugoslavije 97 96 95 easier butlife because their make thenwould everybody it because not would choice, finally this make to know have who Jews was concludes really article a trueThe Yugoslav Yugoslav). truly patriot and who was not. nationality so that there would be no excuse foranti-Semitism organize politically. If they confronted those Jews who do not think of themselves as a partof the Yugoslav Jews,whom they believe to be the majority, to declare their Yugoslav nationality openly maybeand even simply non-Zionist, that is those who refrained from actively supporting either of the camps 94 from reading could assume from Bosnia)Serbia henot talkYugoslavia” does seemsmore aboutor serious than one Zionist and anti-Zionist supporters in Zagreb or Croatia (although he refers to it as “memories wondering whether this firm stand is dictated by a kind of an angst-psychosis. –Zionists” nationalists Jewish are who councilors city the by represented not “they newspapers thatvarious are Zagreb to samestatement sending the around of people effort the reports cynically honest”. more thus and is loud less host-nation his/her for Jew Zionist of the patriotism the while snobbism into turns easily nation host the for patriotism whose assimilationist the unlike nation, own their for respect hold they because host-nation their respect to have they fact the of claims, aware “aremore author Zionist Jews”,the “National for. really rooting is he “patriotism” or “nationalism” which tell never can one because hypocrites as local) and Jewish-nationalist (the sides both by treated being from benefit Jews do these nor all; at not it calls newspaper Zagreb as another chairs”, Jewish faith. Since they firmly reject the statements of the Zionist city councilors city Zionist the of statements the reject firmly they Since faith. Jewish the of Croats of number the about illusion the destroy to not maybe press, the calling with the twenty of them who showed up reached some harmless conclusions, and did not bother an article titled “Croats of the Jewish faith disapprove” the editorship of Jakir Eventov, Jakir This time it was a mainstream, non-Jewish newspaper, Židov Židov /49, 1928. , 3/ April 1918, Kraus Mirko, „Dvostruka narodnost“. Reading the reminiscences the Reading Omladina iz1918 Židov (The Youthof 1918), in: , perhaps because giving attention to the anti-Zionists (or 97 of Jakir Eventov, the picture of the relations between relations of the picture the Eventov, of Jakir 94 59 Narodni rad Narodni , because the cause needs them completely or completely needsthem cause the , because Zagreba if these Jews (who feel Yugoslav) show they are Jevrejski Almanah 1955/56 þ ka smotra 96 who wanted to alertby wanted public to the who . At their meeting in the Café City /24/1934. They call for non-Zionist Židov , Savez jevrejskih Savez , somewhat Židov 95 In is CEU eTD Collection discredited as Jews, as the already mentioned example of Frank. example of Josip asJews, already mentioned asthe discredited be might they later or sooner that felt they level some on that indicate might This Yugoslav). himself as a whoseidentified in allinterwarand governments nearly participated party-leader Bosnia, weretobe foundin Yugoslav the Muslim Organization Mehmed of Spahowhich Croatian Yugoslav or membersparty innumbers wouldthat exceedfew individualsin (some, but bad of werestillthat, notparticipatingas causeorthought only out can nationalist” come “Jewish- for interest without either were youth Jewish non-Zionist the or faith, Mosaic the of although older well-establishedliked Jewswho tothink of Croatsthemselves as or Yugoslavs is that from this draw can we conclusion atall. The active were politically if they socialism, tocauseslike morekids” attracted were “Jewish non-Zionist Freidenreich thinks these cause” isoutof question. “integrationistthe the would bededicatedto newspapers that for cause.” their youth didnot tend form to and and official didpublishgroups not journals propaganda and integrationist the life have UnliketheZionists, inZagreb. Jewish communal effect any on haveby seems byit… to 1930sand ceased the threatened disappeared Thisto organization Zagreb Jewish families, who despised the mere idea of Jewish nationalism and felt personally andof andfrom affluent successful generally entrepreneurs professionals, well-established circle small a of consisted It Jews. Zagreb of number significant any of support the attracted 98 around decision making body, it was easy diminishto the work of such people like the ones involved significance. their would addto brothers) Alexander life, likethe in community active were still but Freidenreich, 143. Since after 1923 the Zionist line and Since leadership 1923the Zionist Jewishcouncil’s after the over won Narodni rad 98 Naturally, if one wishes to blend in, drawing attention by forming clubs or . Despite its efforts, Freidenreich never itsefforts, . Despite “this thinks, organization 60 CEU eTD Collection country they can refer to with pride. canof liveEastern Europe inasafe and a environment Jewsof for Central/Western Europe sothat Jews the establishis Jewish state a to paper from a Zionist conclusion as anexpected they cannot really develop their separate national sentiment. The only way out of this, coming without sincethey converting]so asaseparate people[and stay andyet, Jews, are nottreated easily. So the real problem for the author of the text is that Jews can never fully assimilate country. new the virulent; Yugoslavs. Jews, whothink of themselves exclusively Yugoslavs,as aresomuch more into the Yugoslav welcomed been really hasnot them to according generation, The younger Jew]. converted circles a Frank, led byJosip its fractions of one party, with Rights Croatian the casewith the and thisto the real name of the party but would insteadhas call it the Jewish party” [although this was not put thempolitical life:“ifaJewjoin would referring suddenly apolitical everybody party would stop off trying to prove themselves as true 99 standpoints “us of Nekoliko rije not those in Split or Bosnia, i.e., the Sephardim, author’s note] are still partially under influencethe of German Hungarian partially or culture. Canthis beheldstill againstthem? are note] author’s Sephardim, the i.e., Bosnia, or in Split those not explainsJews [footnote Jews living they are referring to in Croatia and and Slavonia itis indirectly, for necessary ustoanalyze this older of question...The generations Jews,to issue andwithhave those that nothing do to Jews wedeal with only only issues concentrates related on program our surrounding. Because politics of our us in part notencourage program Zionistto take politics national becauseour does in Croatian actively justparticipate our wewill and patriotism howdowethink with harmony to come aspirations Jewish-national our can how asked been have We An article published inAn article published Židov Židov þ wants to show why wantsto participatehavebeen Jewsto in discouraged Yugoslav i k jugoslavenskom problemu shares its opinion openly, and cannot beshares itsopinion openly, discouragedfrom cannot that and their efforts national Jews of Jews whenparticipating itof Yugoslavia” to came inpolitics of Židov (Few Words on Yugoslavthe Problem), in the summer of on of 1918 comments in summer possible the 61 Židov , August 16 1918. 99 CEU eTD Collection sons to be buried in the Jewishthe war.cemetery, The Jewish together Community convincewith us to bury our dear brothers together with all thethe other Croatian soldiers who diedJews in has of thankfullythe Russianof the gravefor the Jews of Yugoslavia whoarmy died as declinedsoldiersin WWI and said: “They tried to who this offer because we wanted our included. the Deutsch-Maceljski family, next to the Croatian political or cultural elite, Stjepan Radi Stjepan elite, cultural or political Croatian the to next family, Deutsch-Maceljski the 100 local [Slavic] nationalism.” the and nationalism between Jewish cooperation andeconomical with a sense of political world they nationalism highly think in, liveit of of country they the they support and that tothe prove to Jews have national-aware because inlocal politics, Jews role of an active than before they were Jewish nationalists. “This sort of Jewish emancipation actually calls for from Yugoslavia “Jewish these they tendencies” would thus bebetter Slavic local-patriots for is nothreat there because and as strangers of acting habits on these up give Jews would Jewish, part of cemetery of Zagreb’s part Jewish, non- main, in the rest to laid eventually were who Jews those over win or Croats” “real was written by is it himself, Schick seemsunsigned), but hadfailed to intrying persuade to Ibid. In September 1930Zagreb’sZionist Lavoslav gaveaspeech Schick unveilingat the By embracing adistinctly cultureJewish Hungarian-German speaking the and acting The latter indeed reminds of Schick’s ‘Croatian-patriotic Zionism’ (perhaps the article 4 On the Question of Jewish nationality ofJewish 4 OntheQuestion 100 Mirogoj (“Peaceful Grove”), some, like the Alexanders or 62 ü CEU eTD Collection preventing Jews, especially the Ashkenazim, from complete assimilation. complete from Ashkenazim, the especially Jews, preventing manyfullyminority believed were never Zionism was theonly accomplished, way of tobe attempts recognized asanational Because Yugoslavia. ininter-war a religious minority minority. religious Jewishwork, organizations could always they claim were only therights of exercising a situation eventually madeimpossible it political for any kinds of “national” organizations carry to on with their internal Yugoslavia’s Although minority. national official an to belong did those having doubts over their identity) national own one could identity “live”this ifs/heas remained impossible tooptfor Jewishthe nationality in the census making (thus it foreasier it period inter-war entire leftthe throughout from. Although in placetheirancestors the reunite people Jewish the before of time a matter itwas just believed put it, andthey liked to as they “pastand future” a common share apeople who to belonging of innationality terms that law applies to usJews too.” 102 101 is their duty, or as Schick puts it, “ Zagreb will defend their(as much country as wouldthey defend Jewish Palestine)because it rest, Schick iscloser toquick any Russian Jew than another Croatianto when it camesay to where they should bethat put toAlthough if anybodybrothers.” their to next the well, as cemetery the of part Jewish representativesin the rest to laid be to wouldhave raise against of the Jewish Yugoslavia, Community the at theJews time of felt a Croatian Jew is Ibid. R6965 Schicka, Lavoslava Trezor Zagreb, in Library University and National The At several places in this thesis explanations are given as to why Jews remained (only) For the Zionists of Yugoslavia, there was never any question over the idea of Jewish 102 dina damalhusa 63 , the law of law, law, the Kingisthe the and of 101 CEU eTD Collection 103 autonomy. their on out lose will they fear the of because faith” Jewish the of “adherents the of all gather author's remark) were of Croatia, part eastern the (today Slavonia and Croatia of councils The common association. hitherto unable to form South Slavonia,Slav andother all now territories, joined same the under form flag,a a common representational body that would much faster. acculturated their into milieu surrounding or assimilated from coming Central the European hand, nationally Ashkenazim (andself-perceived)Jewish. other on asbeingThe the treated werealways Sephardim Yugoslavia of nationality, the from (pan)Slavic separateness the their of long tradition because forthe of one, Jewry – identity Yugoslavia’s of national over the debate it crucialcame to proved when that not theonly category Agein was Palestine. luck totry motivated their more wasconsiderably or not, home, causes at Zionist came to largely Zionist Socialist-Zionist; or ones born after the war were revolutionary,either when it integrationist – they were Croats/Serbsinbefore alesser Belgrade extent 1880,especiallyinCroatia, with waspredominantly of the Mosaic faith; the ones born before Thein depending born identity generation agegroup. period national on the inter-war the WWI were Harriet Freidenreich distinguishes the choices of Jews Yugoslavia made when itcame to was the Association of Jewish (Israelite) Religious Communities (councils) in the Kingdom in the (councils) Communities Religious (Israelite) Jewish of Association the was accepted overwhelmingly compromise the end, the In nationality. aseparate of connotation bears a thelatter because “Jewish”, not and Religious” “Israelite name should the gounder councils the that advocated circles assimilationist The theAssociation. of name the upon of Jewish beginning Yugoslav the becameatvery community apparent when deciding As stated in stated As Only with the formation of the new state did the Jewish Religious Councils of Croatia, 103 Spomenica1919 1969, Savez Jevrejskih Opština Jugoslavije, Beograd: IIosnivanjesaveza The disagreements that later arose due to different concepts of nature the of what concepts different dueto laterarose that The disagreements 64 . CEU eTD Collection University 1995. Press, University Muslim the BosnianWay: Identity Communityand in aCentral Bosnian Village, Princeton: Princeton Bosniak Nation, MA Thesis, Central EuropeanUniversity, Nationalism Studies, 2008; Bringa Tone, Being for Zagreb’s writes Yugoslavs – butstill not as Bosnian/Bosniak Croats, Serbs, “nationally” as would regardthemselves this point eliteintellectual at whose population Muslim the with do to what argue to harder be even would it nationality, of the populationtechnically acknowledged by censuses the Yugoslav was the one, and the onlywaymembers were distinguishedwas nationality of that Jews. Theonly a change bring thestatus ableregarding not about to from each andother of Zionist, convincinglyso, butstill communitiesthey weremostly theirwere respective was by religion (and in the case of 105 104 stated: whichnote and inApril senta of the BelgradeConference 1919 attend Councils Jewish the Council wereof moreSerbs, inclined Croats and toward Slovenes. assimilationist Since at the time principles, the representatives they declined of Zagreb's the offer Jewish to See Jovana Mihajlovi SeeJovana Ibid., 28. Few 1931census the daysbefore lawyer David Alkalaj,from aZionist Belgrade bodies representative the into elected members council years several next the During Jewry Jewry Kingdomthe of entire the for reachesconclusions meeting this againstapossibility that and protests forin 1919 partmeeting April set up 6 take the isthat refuseemphasis]... to why we of Kingdom Serbs, Croats andSlovenes asanational minority Zionist organization's intentionwhichadvocatesrecognition the of Jews inthe representatives The Kingdom... the of Council the question on organization Zionist of the the standpoint condemn representatives The Slovenes... Croatianthe ideals, national towards ouryoungi.e., towards Kingdom of and Serbs, Croats devotion unshakeable an ofstrengthen and maintain to duty holy Jewishis their it think representatives the people... Yugoslav of the part organic is an Yugoslavia Jewry of nationality nationality. nation aseparate The a separate or makewould the Jewry Yugoslavia of that againstany effort strongly are Zagreb's Jewish council] [of The representatives and which has been delivered to the National ü Židov Trbovc, Forging Identity Trbovc,Negotiation: Forging through The Contemporary Case of the 104 to advise the Jews of adviseYugoslavia Jews of the ( to . 105 65 ). consistently disapprove of the consistentlydisapprove of Židov -reading Jews of Jews -reading [author's CEU eTD Collection terms of nation-building than those in Czechoslovakia, where one could identify him/herself identify could one where in Czechoslovakia, those than nation-building of terms rule. of state supreme organ the as authority The Law on Royal Rule Yugoslav foundedreligious meaning, orregional theregime-supported and Party.National and Supremenational, a had name whose parties political all banned Assembly, National the dissolved State Administration dictatorship), (sixth-of-January Constitution the Kingabolished this Because of casualties. legalizedCroats the King’s absolute and tenthanniversary beganthe proclamation“tendencies” of Kingdom the at the of Serbs, of Slovenesmight be seen (1 asthe populationDecemberadding who had no political agenda regarding the control of power in oilthe country, it to thisthe kindof a symbolic political decision, albeithalfone sinceitconcerned only a of percent fire.1928) Namely, country all the over tendencies nationalist suppress to trying sametime the at itwas because when the process clashes ideathatJewswerea Yugoslavia buthad anythingthe against special nation, particular of restriction inter-war the that not It was WWII. after possible with became only this nation, a separate of national-ist the lobbying of circles Zionist the haveYugoslaviaof to Jews by Constitution recognized the as police the of all spite itself. In census inthe categories of asone the sentiment, national expressing claimedthough new there Alkalaj hadinmind even wasspecially probably nationhood outone’spointing Jewish was no way ofwhat remark), author’s this, timewriting of at the informed have been basis (as I national publishing these results, or any other that had to do with 106 customs” and habits of bond a spiritual faithconnectedisreligiousemotional; –their historical, group, their also connection through declaringby only not people, Jewish the to belonging their confirm and be honest themselvesto Yugoslavia) as Jewish by religion but nationally as well. “Jews are not only a Židov It seems that the proponents of the idea of Yugoslavia had more on their hands in /12, March 201931,front page. 106 . Since there was no option of declaring oneself on a 66 CEU eTD Collection 110 109 King. of the power the exceeding time, the at country the remindking included,likedwere“friends to of they Paši Jewishthe (like people” Nikola Kingdom of andYugoslavs Jews.Although some of leadingthe men in thepolitics, Yugoslav the become to have then would Yugoslavia down, house the bring not would faith” Mosaic the of “adherents some to right this granting if Even minority. national a as recognized Serbian, one has wonderto what kind of a liability would arise from approving the right tobe and i.e.Croat Kingdom, centralized unitary the of stability the threaten actually would Jewish community councils,internal political crisis was already broke out. Constitution). By thepeople time consensus in waspower the failed (or of country stages new the earliest the minority at anational beas recognized to reached andalready the Zionist thelobbying themselves representatives community the among reach consensus a inability to lineknew won in theremost of the will be no mention of the word “national” in the demand minority” recognition as a national minorities.” national other any of rights the as acknowledged, fully be will rights their approved finally is Constitution the when And test-Constitution. first the in minority national a as recognized be The Jewish Political Board in Sarajevo, author's remark] saying that itis guaranteed Jews will 108 107 130.000 are there be anation because to and considered aregenerally “Jews because minority national of lobbying (1917-1918) forSlovenes status Jews of and wastalkthe Croats there a among of earliestincluded. Kingdom Atthe stages the Serbs, innational Jewish of categories, State Council, and yet we have none. Minister Pribi Minister none. have we yet and Council, State Freidenreich, p. 58 Židov, 9/1918 Svetozar Pribi The number was actually a lot smaller. Since the only real domestic political issue was acknowledging nationalisms that nationalisms acknowledging was issue political domestic real only the Since 107 of us in this country we should have a right to three minority representatives in the 109 Although Freidenreich Although pointJews at one “for concludes most the part not did þ evi ü , Ministerof the Interior, and according to some historians, the most powerful person in 110 67 it indeedseems they did,butbecause of the þ evi ü 108 replied issue by tothis [raised ü , CEU eTD Collection awareness of community). the of awareness people,not only bysaying actually (so, cultural national religious meaning maintaining the and emphasizing that work of the community should stress the “cultural” aspect of the Jewish maintaining thelevel of awareness of Jewish issues worldwide (mainly through newspapers) Zionists were sometimes referred to, thought of its work as missionary in terms of these odds, these give in Againstalltouring to the synagogue). region,aspeech the MenahemUsishkin of advocator Zionist the by allowing purposes for political worship of using aplace accusedof should that about really religious affairs.was the (Zagreb’slocal worry only rabbinate saw it as aorganization Association of the in work involved somethe people the of fact that Law Jewishone from onlike Religious Community, 1929),andthe December the despite confessional group (all of the rights and duties of the Jewish community were specified in the national asa representatives bytheir (Jewish) level,considered day every some practical, were on they knew Jewishnumerous organizations involved of the inone another was inthisway or as ifit was Freidenreich, 111 such virtues as patriotism, nothing etc.) courage, such as happened. emphasize to suppose is which story nation-building the of part militaristic the of because thiskindof elites for was only confirming thefact acceptance by power the reason of apart was greatsacrificewarsSerbia in undertook idea theJewwho of the perpetuated minister, who above mentioned the in or Serbia, Party Radical the leaderthe of Around six hundred Jews fought together with Serbs as officers or soldiers in the Balkan Wars and WWI; and Wars Balkan the in soldiers or officers as Serbs with together fought Jews hundred six Around Although institutions like Associationthe ( community. This was in spite of the fact that the law saw them strictly as a Jevreji Beograda izme de iure Savez, whose leading men were members of the “progressive-nationalist” line,as “progressive-nationalist” of leading weremembers whose men the a religious ÿ community, in fact it made sure the Jewry of Yugoslavia who Yugoslavia of Jewry the sure made it in fact community, u ratova (The Jews ofBelgrade Between the Wars) 68 Savez ) organized Jewish life in the country in the life Jewish organized ) , 367. 111 , thus CEU eTD Collection ourselves as part of the Jewish people? One cannot just ignore national rights that had been had that rights ignore national just cannot One people? Jewish of the aspart ourselves should askourselves openly once andfor all, areweanational minority we thinkand do of remark)… We nation,author’s Yugoslav Jews avoidingthus term meaning peoplehood, the numbers inYugoslavia according to theirnationalities used word is(the actually nationality of Yugoslav Jews because until this day there is no official data on the populationisknown us whetherin intoconsiderationto 1931.It not officialstook the of declaration this lastdeclare Only oncedidweJews try asanational census the to during ourselves category, inYugoslavia. minorities national by byand which are used other PeaceTreaty us too, the to guaranteed been have which rights minority on up give voluntarily to right was it whether relationship between Yugoslavthe and the Jewish community…is it still an open question much later,in much 1930s early 113 112 rights, minority their about do to what about clear never were Jews Yugoslav etc. education, religious on decisions in autonomy full maintain to wanting communities, Orthodox the were Councils Religious foraskedIronically, only exception Jewish Councilsthat fromthe Association Jewish of the live; Jewishness is a religious andanethnic totality. original], in the emphasis [national should bea becauseitreally –itsmissionismuchbroader religious life council Jewish local one’s that concluded (Savez) Association the of board main the of meeting Kingdom from of Yugoslavia 1929 revolved nature around of Jewishthe council. The in ofJews the Community theReligious making Lawon the timeof the around The debate Spomenica 1919-1969 Saveza jevrejskihopština, 47. Židov , July 1932 (front page; author of the article Drago Steiner/Jakir Eventov) must notbe must seen onlyas institutionwhichan administrative should takecare its of 113 because they were “afraid that they will harm the good the harm will they that “afraid were they because the councilshould onlyreflect theway peopleactually 69 112 national Židov narodnosti, council writes CEU eTD Collection 22. 115 114 maybe as problematic for somebody from was the it say Istrian to be wrong not peninsula would one and, – to declare Negrian Monte oneselfIstrian, CroatianDalmatian, ones, local as the or Croatian or Serbian like evident more ones (the fail not would identities different many that would just have toefforts of creatingbe acommon identity, more complex thethan the Czecho-Slovak one; an identity right way of makingmention notHowever is idea what shedoes of the Yugoslavia that heavilyonthe relied sure the new country, lessSlav landsof WWI after than 1921 Jews intheSouth total the 1% of (in population gathering number small the of fact the exclusively was it believe Freidenreich up like Authors sonationality? like Czechoslovakia wheredevelopment. Jewish Jewishnational-cultural anon-disrupted which guarantee peaceand the treaties identityin acquire easy notto which was rights the on voluntarily give up for usto is noreason There could tobearthisissueinmind. development… future responsibility becausetowards wehavethe beand fight to have we theassimilation of colleagues…because Zionist all our of to attention understood we minority ourselveskind ourown So whatturn a principlewe hold of towards rights. as to authorities and the isit to unclear because Serbia andonly South in and Vojvodina a belongingminorities other We do. bysilently cannot stand being Jewishschoolswhile are closed down to a only a religious school but that it should be guaranteed to teach Jewish culture as well,just as workonkeepingreason to is therunning Jewish it it school clearis everybody when to not something declare to justso,butit should seriously- be pursued instancefor there is no be cannot nationality of declaration This nationality. a Jewish to belonging about words andsayempty timehimsayinga census then suddenly, atthe promiseda word without of to Ibid. Jevrejski Almanah 1954 But was there a specific reason interwar Yugoslavia was so different from a country 114 [JewishAlmanac 1954], Savez jevrejskihopština Jugoslavije, Prosveta, Beograd, 70 115 ). CEU eTD Collection 116 they who know even not did perspective Sephardic the from who Ashkenazim the (meaning wanting to becomeZionist journal those Sarajevo the from reading can what one gather least at important tothem, more what was kind of Jewspeople theylived among Jewsfor and and each function likeother to this just was enough – that within thereare Croatia.” in as as manyBosnia are not disputes such ease becausethere councils local their to‘nationalize’ Jews beBosnian for it will easier Zionist… blended in inthe whereif Croatia youyourselfof thought nationally as Jewish you definitely were a surroundingit. “In Bosnia, all the Jews are nationally Jews, even though they might not be Zionists, unlike groundbreaking novelty itwhen came toidentity hadand they nosudden reasontoemphasize Croats? For the Sephardim of Bosnia the new concept of Yugoslavism did notrepresent some asensewithout of identity”. Jewish a “single rift Sephardic-Ashkenazi the anddueto thecountry across dispersed so were they because more so even case, Czechoslovak the paraphrase to Yugoslavia, of be Jews the have to would the conclusion Yugoslavs Slavic onecouldonly drawa real languageinearly 1920s) Hungarian minority, and since they lived in a multicultural mostly province a speaking non- speaking leastidentity, examplethe Lookinguntil Croat at Hungarian-“national”1929. or of at Ashkenazim Serb only identity. a religious it unsaid, left Even though on an basiseveryday was didlive one a from Vojvodina Kingdom Yugoslavs. of Sothe (who betweeninterwar differentiated Catholic,MuslimandJewish Orthodox, Yugoslavia only couldin Censuses Yugoslavs). becoming of concept accept the to Croats or for Serbs some itwas not be recognized as a part of the Židov So were the Jews of Yugoslavia more Yugoslav oriented than Serbs, Slovenes, and , March 15 1918, Jevrejski Glas Jevrejski Sefardi na raskrš Sefardi , was maintaining a sense of Sephardic identity, and not and identity, Sephardic of a sense maintaining was , Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Serbs, Croats ü u [The [The Sephardim at Crossroads]. 71 was made up of made was upof Yugoslavs with 116 They were Spaniards for the CEU eTD Collection http://web.ceu.hu/jewishstudies/pdf/02_goldstein.pdf Sephardic Community also called for expelling the Bosnian Ashkenazim out of the country. ofthe out Ashkenazim Bosnian the expelling for called also Community Sephardic 117 for Hungary and Austria. left many move to wish no had they although and bad) was Serbo-Croatian iftheir (especially citizens” as”foreign simply sawsome them of state new the because permits residence was indeed, issue-always amore 1918some complex after new had acquiringof problems identity country the around For theAshkenazim belong).anywhere were and they did where Pribi tobeconsidered enough former,the “oneof us”. perceived Sephardim asrooted the were unlike – authorities the bother not did ever than so more Serbo-Croat with Ladino replacing by “actual” assimilation their started of Yugoslavia before thattime Sephardim the did not that is. fact The that presence, of centuries body: of national the part inseparable seen asan German/Hungarian Ashkenazimspeaking and Jewsthosewhorequiredit be what to takes the element”, “foreign asthe seen Jews between 1918 differed of measures Semitic Unlike in1941when equally Jewry all Yugoslav of by was Laws,affected theRace anti- Ivo Goldstein, þ evi outlook … of words the were These disorder’. anti-state against these asif about ‘theexpulsion treated it‘In foreigners’… of times Jews,peopleconcerned spoke whom were banishedneverof toreturn to Yugoslavia… publicly this problem was not unrestConference… it wereengagedit in Paris at the Peace preventing Jewish organizations international would the right toacquire citizenship. Thus, deportation began,be various although first Yugoslav and possible to for felt Bosnia several they Yugoslav that the authorities gainedthe hadnot decades, suffer Austria-Hungary. Although some of hadbeen livingwerethem inCroatia, Voivodina or to justifythe asBosnian foreign certain because theAshkenazim necessary deportation The governmentconsidered were seen Ashkenazim, since monthsfirst appearedin already The Kingdom. of the the of deportingproblem Jews theymeasures a smallhad come number of to securitythe of area of the new states from other parts of In a letter to a minister in Belgrade (unclear which one, but most surely surely Svetozar mostbut one, which in (unclear a minister Belgrade to In aletter ü ) Schick writes toexpress ) Schickwrites unificationhis hope howthe of countries South-Slavic The Jews inYugoslavia1918-1941: Antisemitism and theStruggle for Equality 117 , page 2. Goldstein does not mention part of Sarajevo's 72 Obzor , a Zagreb paper of liberal , aZagreb paper of , CEU eTD Collection Zagreb, Trezor Lavoslava Schicka, R6965 Schicka, Lavoslava Trezor Zagreb, mitinzima uAmerici,proširena jesada na Jevreje cijele našedržave. pripadali. Ona sloboda koju su uživali Jevreji ustaroj Srbiji, okojoj sunjihovi izaslanici pri 118 author’s remark) is now expanded to include the Jews of the entire country. the US (he refers to the visitSerbia” (pre-WWI), i.e. freedom that the Jewishof representatives talkedDavid about in rallies around Alkalaj to try a presents fornew all becausethe era offreedom by its in“old kind of nationals enjoyed Jews and raise funds for the Serbian army, to fitin? eager more were hence and - issue internal an not was element Austro-Hungarian the because – and Monarchy) of the part in Croatian itwas (not that threat a direct was not minority Croatia than Jews “foreign” to weremore inCroatia Jews because it lifestyle – was were amore assimilated follow to Serbia,to Jews Croatia's for reasons be the would and what so, If Jews? Croatian not and Croats Jewish because in Serbia being more with comfortable cause”,were the to still“contributed even though Zionists who the otherness of thewere more “integrationist” asFreidenreich it)puts raising aninteresting question – werethere Ashkenazim Jewswho Croatian to Jews Serbian opposes probably but say this not does (he characteristic, Me ÿ utimnarodnim je oslobo He seems to think Belgrade Jews have always seen their Jewishness as a national a as Jewishness their seen always have Jews Belgrade think to seems He ÿ enjem iujedinjenjem nastupilo novodobazasvedržavljane, makojoj vjeri oni 73 The National and University Library University and National The 118 þ alina velikim CEU eTD Collection 119 live and people theylive off.” they amongst people the towards affection any showed exceptions, rare with never, they that Kulturträger as well these Germanic Jews have been themost virulent bearers of pan-German it after and unfortunately forgetunification thatuntil national Weour cannot andaspirations. they fail to assimilate but “remained foreign to the national element, by language, mentality sinceingredient” “withoutmoved theyhad these anybody to parts it”.wanting Not only did Ashkenazim, Majstorovi as country (the problematic Jews of number in the increase an finds he still but anti-Semitic never eventually four “theyhave centuries neverbeen his This was Yugoslaviathat disturbed”. was proof toresembleassimilate thesurrounding more Slavic anditspopulation language havekept for grantedmanagedin“inbredand thoughhavenot itthey Jewishelementone”,to even Sephardic -the all of the asylums to German/Austrian refugees). The refuse entrance to all Majstorovi to newJews, these entrance refuse of asmorea “partbody”. of national of bethe perceived between the two Jewish groups in the country and howit come to that the Sephardim came to explain make Slavs it, to beginningforat the difference Schick the of was parliament immigrants from Germany andAustria. aimof The article,this andquoting member the of Ivan Majstorovi parliament of member Yugoslav a from aprotest on he comments unreadable] [handwriting National University Library Zagreb, Trezor Lavoslava Schicka, R6965 In an article Schick wrote for the Viennese Jewish journal Jewish Viennese for the wrote Schick In anarticle To back uphisYugoslavia that claims an isnot anti-Semiticif country itdecides to mission, that they were the support of anti-national (i.e. anti-Slavic) regimes and ü in November 1933 who called against granting asylum to Jewish grantingin against to asylum 1933whocalled November ü sees it in seesit his notshare exposition do this element of “original 119 5. Our Jews and Other Jews 74 ü reminds that it isit acountry with remindsthat an Wiener Judische ... Wiener Judische CEU eTD Collection 400 godina od dolaska Jevreja uBiH 1566-1966, p. 142. underdeveloped with lot parts a of potential fringe Empire the in of job far in whichwerepursue of opportunities greater these mission of lobbying for national acknowledgment. isbut for now perhaps with beingcontent justaJewish-Yugoslav,necessarily and not on a state, Jewish of the idea favors the who ofsomebody he thinks “national” term he the uses when that mind in bear should One says. Schick Ashkenazi, the and Sephardim the between from Hungarian-speaking parts from German or wereactually newcomers the of avery percent that state small Somelocals. sources the with least faster connections because someat knowledge of level aSlaviclanguageof guaranteed from other Slavic parts of the Empire (Czech and Slovak lands, Croatia, Slavonia, Vojvodina) 122 120 and Bosnia of entire inthe thousand three even not innumbers, little Ashkenazim were there considerable numberCzechs, Slovaks of and Hungarians movedSlavonia). into Although culture.” spiritual and material and contributed to the creation of Yugoslavia both in battle and when helping to build its both refers Sephardimthe Ashkenazim) to livedhavein and always the people unity with our deviatereason from to inbred principlesthe “our tolerance of faiths… for all Jews our (he and havebeen the whohasexplained refugees hasno because asylum granted Yugoslavia Julije Hahamovi Ibid. After the Austrian occupation of Bosnia in 1878 a number of newAfter numbertothis theAustrian in1878a people of Bosnia went of occupation Schick a goestoquote minister whoeventually decided onthe issue, Živojin Lasi In cases when Jews are Jews when In cases ü , Aškenazi uBosni i Hercegovini 120 nationally orientednationally 5.1 Originofdifferences 122 121 [Ashkenazim inBosniaand Herzegovina], Spomenica in: , with no Slavic background (at the same time a 75 . Among them were many Ashkenazim, mostly Ashkenazim, many were them Among . [Schick’s emphasis] there is no difference no is there emphasis] [Schick’s ü , CEU eTD Collection 124 123 entire lives in samethe neighbourhood. their spend mostly and creed the outside married never other, each from isolated sometimes fact than suggeststhe restof inthe livedthey that population the even small communities, Herzegovina 125 science to gymnastics from he spirit satisfiedby his adventurous moving to Bosnia in heeverything1892 where taught famous Alexander clan from Zagreb failed to get a place member of the Alexander, thatwhen Erich nearby“West” exotic tothe so appeared Bosnia as a teacher in the Belgium Congo, In fact, world. from outside the Empire Ottoman of the part this of isolation the to due Sephardim, the for only not and long, so for maintained was quo status The like. years. hundredthree Duringthis time has little it changed when came tohow daily life looked living someSerbia) there hadSouth timethe nameof been under going the Macedonia, at lived. Ibid. Freidenreich, 22. Obitelj-Mišpaha the Sephardic community of Sarajevo until the beginning of beginning until 20 the of Sephardicthe Sarajevo the of community as to referred cushions uponwhich one satTurkish fashion Samokovlija’s[in this isstories settee style,with wereEastern acarpet Furnishings generations sharingsamehousehold. the several with family circle, an extended basedon patriarchal, was society Jewish By this time the Sephardim of Bosnia (as well as those living in Serbia and Serbia in living those as well (as Bosnia of Sephardim the time this By 1910, 98percentSephardim Sarajevodeclaredof Ladinoas theirmother tongue. Jews and Muslims in claimslanguage; between source business of factone existence the correspondence writtenin that werekept records Commercial marketplace. the and school, home, at spoken in Ladino. According to the Austro-Hungarian census of 123 they were successful and left a remarkable economic imprint where everthey imprint economic lefta remarkable and they were successful , 48. minder 124 , author’s note]… Ladino constituted the dominant language of dominant the Ladinoconstituted note]… , author’s . That Sephardim of Bosnia might have been even more isolated 76 th century. It was fin desieclefin 125 CEU eTD Collection 127 JewishCommunity during Austrianthe Period] Spomenicain: 400godina oddolaska Jevreja uBiH.,p. 74-75. 126 different” eracompletely sawtheAustrian they orientation cultural different because of their primarily all differences and heldthe closelyseparate community bound.religious worlds, Liketwo erased note) author’s Ashkenazim, andthe few Sephardim the among Austrian occupation, (before past in the had which religion a shared not oneness, (Jewish) national of notion by groups wereneverbeit could newly solved constructed “nor two between the resolved the differences the author another For like. looked really coexistence Ashkenazi/Sephardic the how on views different completely two brings in Bosnia, presence Jewish the Ottoman governance are quick to blame it all on the apolitical system of the Ottoman era Ottoman the of system apolitical the on blameall it to arequick governance Ottoman the aboutSamokovlija Bosnian andacertain wrote Moricrabbi Levi,whoSpanish Jewsunder novelist The arts. applied nor in architecture, neither expression, in artistic interest no show gives an produce and Sephardicexample simpleand only that manufacturers products, rough parts of artists worldthe produced andnever somethingin thinkers, that happened He Bosnia. comeexplain inother how communities to andtries calls Sephardic evolution” “regressive Ibid. Todor Kruševac, Todor Strange, butthesame edition inpublishedhonour 1966 to thefour hundredyears of The author goes to describe the process the above mentioned novelist Samokovlija novelist mentioned above the process the describe to goes author The could develop aperson’s intellectual skills. wasthe only that activity trade andwhere leaders religious on depended people who setting up a local council and a religious school. Thisevery best kindlife was of community it to organization came upwith couldwhen come the community of life groups, ledtiny to developing into broken Territorially note). author’s modernization, (by “normal” theyhavein mindprobably keeping upwith processesthe Jewish world was unable,quote to the novelist Isak Samokovlija,develop to normally leadsome behaviour consequencesbecausethis This had of unwanted kind to to community which was always defensive whenitcame toethnic-cultural individuality. the tight on anaffect have really not they could so connections, business basic The relations of the Bosnian Spaniards (with the outside world) did not exceed the 126 . The author explains what he means under this term: Društvene promene kod bosanskih Jevreja za austrijskog vremena 77 127 [Changes withinBosnian CEU eTD Collection inevitably poor, and even reluctant to ask for medical treatment in hospitals that came with the Austrian rule. Austrian the with came that inhospitals treatment medical for ask to reluctant even and poor, inevitably thus leaders, spiritual of advice the on dependent change, of scared fatalistic, were created he characters The 130 University Press, 1992), 372. intermarriage, i.e., conversion toeither Croatian or Serbian nation, whilefor the Sephardim it improve suppose to his/her from lifeof in cases destiny the Muslim a Bosnian was most era. of Ottoman the remnant accused of - asupposed often most were andMuslims flawSephardim character was the hard andwork honest ” ‘social deislamization’ was rehabilitation of their aspect necessary to businesshighestideal failures, andfound thein cult of prone parasitical, “Muslims were and perverted. unstable as demeaned were constantly who surrounding population,explain both to backwardness). perceivedthis copying the to it when mindcame never assimilated but of state Ottoman tothe assimilated time same the at they claim they (interestingly, reign Ottoman backward the of influence escaping theIberian all peninsula these of people potential,come hadsome only to underthe 129 128 theircharacteristics” adopted century ones living in the Turkish Empiregave assimilatedthe world such England names and to Netherlands fitthe into asmoved who intoUrielSephardim The Acosta,theirassimilation. and novelties waysSpinoza, of life,Luzatto, and Disraeli, after only Gambetta, a infor convenient guarding leadership whichwasvery its Jewry conservative the against while the forfurther this support kind found stagnation of assuch.The trends andcommunity progress is really and not innew apathetic and slow-witted industrious, uninterested slow-moving, which leftits population unmotivated and which created “a new type of the Bosnian man who Something that is best seen inSamokovlija's stories, who exclusively wrote about the Bosnian Sephardim. Ivo Banac, Ibid. Similar stereotyping was used for the Muslims of Similarstereotyping Muslims Bosnia wasusedfor the andHerzegovina andSerbia of The National Question in Yugoslavia. Origins, History, Politics 128 . So what these authors conclude is that at the time of 78 130 This “deislamization” that was that “deislamization” This rahatluk (Ithaca and London: Cornell (Turkish, pleasure). A 129 . So, rejection of CEU eTD Collection which ceased to exist with the beginning of WWI.” Makabi name the under up in set Sarajevo was club astudents time same at the approximately Sephardim and Mizrahim to fit the (Ashkenazi) picture of the 'new Israeli man/woman'. Israeli ofthe'new picture (Ashkenazi) fitthe to Mizrahim and Sephardim like student organizations had that something dowith both of to these whatespeciallygroups… brought tothis were inintellectualsstart workingissues broughtlanguage schools found together to acommon on “thingsmeant changing that started from ground.Youngerthe generations of Jews, especially for some cause Ashkenazimworked together on acommon anything. Having of Sarajevo pamphlet (in German) on what was Zionism about. It was the first time Sephardim and 131 of backward ways lifecommunal was perceivedas (adopting what Ashkenazi virtues) be was catching modernity, to upwith andleaving butpursuing education through the safe terminology of Sarajevo Jews was in November 1904 when 1904 in November was Jews Sarajevo of terminology introduced Zionism into the Thefirstpublic eventthat liferemainedseparate. and religious representativesthe of groups found twothe for ground common action, although community cause. andfor anybody’s fight trust administration’s risk Jews the why would the Ottoman with areason back patronisingnot tone upthis He doespoliticallyfor. causes fight ofno to could becauseasapeople think they authorities, 19 of beginning the Serbiancauseat for the This reminds of the process some of the commentators of Israeli society call society Israeli of commentators the of some process ofthe reminds This Sources on the subject claim it was only with the beginning of Zionism that some of Further on, the author believes mentality” “oriental this keptthe Jews from fighting . Virtually whoever was Jewish and went toschool was amember of this organization Bar Giora Bar and Esperanza 79 th century, obedient as ever to the Ottoman in Vienna, and B’ne Zion Hishtakenezut Judeja society a printed inZagreb… , remaking the 131 Jehuda . CEU eTD Collection život ( Jewish National Society ( Society National Jewish organization the formedaround Ashkenazim council.The bylocal Sephardic supported Society were “mixed” while AshkenazimembershadZagreb’ssupport – the was National the Sephardic Jewish the of leaders the first At organization. Zionist local the within work itbroughtbecause Zionism two together the isalwaysemphasized aswhat through occurred polarization of the two Jewish colleaguesZionist through abroad work (or simply played with). sports communitiesAshkenazi their with bonded had who those especially Sephardim, local the of some from in Bosnia the reaction However, Pinto. Samuel Sarajevo, of Council Sephardic the of secretary was the was at itscame light of signatories one the to primarily It hadin mindBosnia. Ashkenazim of the note peak. Inconveniently, makersof the the againstmeasures although thewas “foreigners”, thenew as supporting seen memorandum Vienna interdiction callingforAshkenazi council,to an Sarajevo’s of which Sarajevo’s two Jewish communities because a group of local Sephardim used the sent a beforwould approved.Thatsparked gaining not citizenshipstatuses conflicts first between in non-Slavs livingthe new the to leaveMonarchy Slavic country the because their requests which were more under the Hungarian influence, like Croatia, the former is used more, and today and more, used is former the Croatia, like influence, Hungarian the under more were which decree issued by the Minister of the Interior at the time, Svetozar Pribi time, Svetozar atthe Interior the of by theMinister issued decree 132 Narodna židovskasvijest Although terms ) 132 In the early 1920s, during the so-called “Sarajevo dispute” ( dispute” “Sarajevo during so-called the In the 1920s, early After the end WWI, some Bosnian Ashkenazim became . Židov and Židovsko nacionalno društvo Židovsko ). Sephardim aroundthejournal grouped Jewish life ( Jevrej 5.2 TheSarajevodispute , both meaning , both interchangeably, Jewish, canbe used in parts 80 ) andthemagazine Jewishconscience persona non þ evi Sarajevski spor ü grata , ordering all of all , ordering due to the dueto Jevrejski ) CEU eTD Collection Sephardim themselves”? Because he (as most of the Sephardim of Bosnia saw it) thought that thought sawit) Bosnia of Sephardim of the he(asmost Because Sephardim themselves”? and preachedby taught themselves.” Sephardim the applied Sephardim, to the issue the liberation and national of of Sephardim the can by only be cannot intheWest usedby Zionism “methods Movement”: Sephardic andthe “Sephardim becoming world-views, between aclash as two or Dr.Samuelin Kamhiwrote his publication be of border the overcome, cannot on that clash traditions two the supposed the between 134 Sephardic Movement inYugoslavia] Jevrejski istorijski muzej, Zbornik 7, Beograd 1997. 133 used they “Jewish“ well. for as word which in differed groups two the Interestingly, term. official the remains acommon gathermanaged around to newspaper includedZagreb both and (who Belgrade chosetheirsides) ended lines in 1928 whenboth on later which polemic, and fights ongoing the until members Sephardic its only now World Sephardic Congress in Vienna in 1925. Sarajevo’s official Zionist representatives were Sephardim” of affirmation for the awish formulated view outof which was aSephardic advocated arose “thefrom group confronting that dispute, the movement Sephardic description the of from detailed the Aswecanread nameSociety. the of Jewish National the formerly under Organization, Zionist of Local the leadership the overtake to membersdecided Sephardic the when support police getting as far as went and payments, shekel the of charge in be whoaround Problems arose will and“backward aboriginals”. being“patronising newcomers” together on howdivide to political within power city backedpolitics, upby accusationsold of work to two the of an unwillingness in fact was early 1920s the of inSarajevo representatives National and University Library in Zagreb, Trezor Lavoslava Schicka Lavoslava Trezor inZagreb, Library University and National For example, For Loker, Cvi The reasons for the dispute were tried to be shown as a part of a greater issue, of one of a greater beas apart shown to weretried dispute the for The reasons The “ideological” disputeit between The “ideological” andAshkenazi (as was referredto) Sephardic 133 . The confronting group in. The confronting Bosnian represented group firstalso question Jews atthe Sarejevski sporisefardski pokretuJugoslaviji 81 Jevrejski glas Jevrejski 134 Why does Kamhi say “only bythe “only say Kamhi does Why (Jewish Voice). [Sarajevo dispute and the CEU eTD Collection reform, etc.). reform, administration public (railways, in civilization” brought “who those and there” were “first What was happened of ones wereofno who the use in a clash concepts quarrels. everyday these However, Bosnia. in up ended that Ashkenazim Hungarian or Austrian the like nation, almost by default “awarded”something do to withit. After all, the direct consequence of this was that the Sephardim were a nationality had or certainly reign Ottoman the Central European Jewshadunderthe statuses different since they never assimilated into some sort of a time. long a such for environment inanon-Jewish identity Jewish their Englishmen, shouldnot be “preaching” Zionism tothoseJews whohave managed tokeep German from or other any indistinguishable almost Ashkenazim, assimilatedwesternised the What is then at the bottom of the Sephardic-Ashkenazic dispute? Categories such as such Categories dispute? is Sephardic-Ashkenazic of the bottom at the What then 82 CEU eTD Collection (especially whether they copied the attitude towards it, depending on whether they lived they it, on whether depending towards theattitude copied whether they (especially them to mean ideology Yugoslav new the did what and discrepancy, Serbo-Croat the into fit new set of issues for the Jewish minority in how they were treated by the new state, how they unification Slavsof unitedSouth a common state.Ideologically, into a whole brought this the with reality oncechanged thetheir political lostspheres ofinfluence on significance the Ottoman, the Habsburg or the one in between, which was Serbian. However, these area they inhabited, or as Freidenreich put it which “sphere of influence” it “sphereof asFreidenreich which put inhabited,area they or in of surroundingwas dominant population,apolitical system what dependedthe kind on Jewish framework. within apredominantly operated Sephardim assimilation, while of a degree through gone had already by was Ashkenazim century that the nineteenth between the difference two the biggest The towns. respective their of hub the into integrated well were who Sephardim ÿ of Ottoman the Empire their wheremostlyseparateness they preserved centuries, for through Yugoslav Jewish Most world. occupied the parts of Kingdom which used tobethefar border forthe theotherpole of handstood other the on wascreated; Sephardim Yugoslav Slav state most of whom grasp have had Serbo-Croatianof agood Croatian, by or timethe the South German Hungarian Habsburg Empire the the Jewry cultured of andor represented Slavonia Croatia Ashkenazim of striking: were differences Some themselves. for chose they lifestyles to dowhen itcame managedto Yugoslavia Jews of what is exactly diversity percent, 135 udezmo Freidenreich, page 3. How their specifically Jewish identity was shaped, as well as the relationship with the Although one could seriously doubt the amount of options that would fit into a half as they called it, known as Ladino elsewhere, with the exception of Dalmatian 6. Conclusion 83 135 they belonged to: belonged they CEU eTD Collection 137 136 every support work.” patriotic forworking welfarethe of peoplethe lived they amongmorally andto financially and andZionist new the such as State, papers among Croats, Serbs or in Bosnia). For one, on the formal level, they greeted the creation of a definite anti-historicism”. a definite and traditions political with breach a radical “represented it of component Croat the for least at which Slavs South the of oneness national new the on debate in the stand a public making from refrained they sides, pick to having means ideologies national and identities national period characterized by a more or less sense of economic stability, prosperity Jews peace, and prosperity stability, lessby of sense economic more or a characterized period war inter the In little. very meant both did), mostly one (and lifestyle integrated secular Ashkenazic background? If more leda or one than from meant Sephardic their Croatia asingle constituted Yugoslavia nation. belonging to the Croatian people, and not South Slavs as a whole. people (always frazed likenever this,Croat/Yugoslav)mentions anything similartoonly Croatian the (Yugoslav) its Jewish confirming to belonging nationality ideaand a separate of assimilationist publication (“Narodni makingrad”), although aclear pointon discarding the innationalism orlater distrustZagreb’sis wouldthem. question sooner why That even doubtcreate personinthe would for andsecondlythe more question problems without or Serbs of the MosaicCroats nor (Zionist) nationalists” “progressive neither Jewish were –there much aspossible faith who were ardent Croatian or Serbian nationalists. For one, it Feldman, Židov/21/1918 What can be debated on is whether the fact somebody was a Jew from Serbia or a Jew of people representatives, community’s Jewish of views official the to came it When Yugoslavia Imagined 137 , 28. The idea was to try and stay on the good side of everybody, as 136 For the most part, because the acquisition freshlyof formed Židov 84 called the Jews of Yugoslavia to continue CEU eTD Collection embrace the idea very soon, because it was a thing to do, but the organization of the of organization butthe do, thing to itwas a because soon, idea very embrace the lobbying foraJewish would state neverhad come from Sephardicinitiative.the They did own, their joined and movements, nationalist in activism youth of trend the embraced bewould and have to made de-assimilated distinctly Jewish again. they which from “nation” some into assimilated never hand other the on Sephardim through. equal inparticipant ofnationalizing process the their that respective surroundingnations went in the cafes of Europe”) who although assimilated, for theapolitical spiritual bond with Palestine) wasa of construct westernized Jewry(“dreamed up most part could not be seen as an The “Sephardism” had problem this thiswith was version Zionism that of their(unlike into hitherto translated and of unknown a Jewish (“Spaniards”) concept ethnic nationality. about atall, by Croats, Orthodox by Serbs, Muslim by both, and, identity, like all of the other groups in Bosnia. Come millet system a existedwithoutof itcollapsed Ottoman once the civic thisgroup Empire, such categories as anational identity ofmodern werenotapplicable (in to the nations) terms more. worldly affairs home. In Bosnia belonging to one of the two Jewish traditions certainly meant familymakingor with abroad, themmore intouch worldly bringingaffairs and the thus bilingualmostleastfor hadfriendsforgetting were andhad,at fact the Ashkenazic the part, a lotifdue education, stressthey more, on not notto the society,placed the members of Sephardic,Neologue orequal like not,anyother contributed Zionistof or Yugoslavia, Although both the Sephardic and Ashkenazim students of the South Slav lands Slav South the of students Ashkenazim and Sephardic the both Although Because as“more Jewish”? seethemselves Bosnia Sephardim of Why didthe with Herzl and the first Zionist congress, the identity that was lived as a religious 85 once theideaofJewish nationalitycame fin desiecle fin , Catholics became claimed became Catholics , CEU eTD Collection into society integrated be completely to managed traditions and represented Both fascinating. yet even sometimes maintained a worldbourgeoisie,led can onlybegeneralized classenemy)they i.e.the livesthat as diverse, of their own (sportsbe considered to they were Yugoslavia because WWIIsocialist by pushed aside post clubs, women’s Feldman (Andrea historiesthe afootnote story theirtheirown was of reminds country only associations,in and Mendelsohn, Wars”, by World Ezra the Between Central Europe East as “Theof Jews Holocaust,the has never been considered importantenough make intoeitherto it such works haveimprintbehind.Although they left history prior theirin own of theseparts Europe, to haveanything toemphasize the between discrepancy littlethe numberof Jews andthe huge than the coat”). This version of Zionism was to be called Diaspora nationalism. if is body shirt tothe more closer (“because the equally not Palestine, into as into be invested homeland, heldlife in which and work Diaspora (in the case,BosniaandSerbia)shouldthis they embraced the work on the Zionist endthe 19 of the years at cause, the Sephardim few these viewed and BarGiora than older years of wereacouple they because Zionist originally in the context of their not was argue Esperanza couldOne Serbo-Croatian). into Herzl translate was did things they home up to date with theGiora on the other hand wasexcitement set up exclusively as aZionist club, tokeep the Jewry from back of the early etc.Bar events, cultural organize language, would town) the conversemeet, intheir around years of Zionism andall (atdifferentuniversities students where as aplace imagined as cultural organizations (hence one of the first Esperanzas up only grassroots. the were set home Zionist workingthe cause from on continue notset up to serve a political goal i.e. as an organization whose members would upon coming was in (hope) both under“Esperanza” nameof the Zagreb, students and Sephardic Vienna Conclusion to the story of the identity of Yugoslavia's inter war Jewry would before th century were exactly when century as formed ideology.Zionism an Once 86 CEU eTD Collection 138 one, and it can be eliminated only through (re)writing the Jewish history of ex Yugoslavia.be should there fact, this around discomfort no is there If nothing. to next now spaces these intriguing individuals and organizations isin the collective memory of people whoinhabit of Yugoslav’s Jewry to the Holocaust, the legacy of once rich and fulfilling lives of so many adesert.” would resemble town the architects, by Jewish Zagreb’s buildings designed town remove entire down to the part in cultural lifesignificant“If or intellectual ofinterthe warYugoslavia. somebody was active politically nursery schools, journals, newspapers, etc.) and irrespective of the fact whether they had been Feldman, Since both Sincepost WWII both and newthe historiographies post-Yugoslav reduced the story a played have they Freidenreich, like historians, some of belief the to Contrary Mrs. Ashkenazy Regrets Mrs. Ashkenazy as Jews as , most were active members of their Jewish Communities. Jewish their of members active were most , 138 , 356. 87 CEU eTD Collection reasons of havingwas asked itafter of reasons I there, to provide an explanation. from having forbid me able to person whowas only flag before, aswell actually criticism.as some The the flag this seen never has Prijedor of township the – on admiration some was There myholiday. national house, the farlocal as I know, high it wascommissioner, flag “thestate with blue everybody Star see the in could of and white” middle. AsDavid the the first time thecome Jewish flag. birthdayAugust So at 18, the Emperor of nexttime,our official and tothe Jewish wasthe up put flagto home, satisfied assimilationist an in up wasbrought was she although hoist understanding very on a withprivate my housemyflags,was asked wife One I requiredout who that putting an duringeventofficial day, during a inme So sincewhen mychildhood. itcame totheflagissue, was there only solution. one inbred been has people Jewish the to belonging of sense a but chauvinist no am I Personally, in the orientation question. Croatian/Serbian of Jew on political the one, depending was Serbian, Croatian,the Serbian and the Ottoman flag, depending whetherthe family living in house the Croatian you see could Later, one. andgreen Hungarian theredwhite sometimes flag,even Austrian or Muslim. feltother you because youtimes had Atthe one to. beginning see could blackandyellowthe Jews wouldwell. At the time, it was a common thing to hoistflags, sometimes because you wantedhoist to and only and Muslimsas among Jewsbut Croats, only acquire Serbs, friends not among real able to the officialpensiveness, and pleasure) thestate time when I was able flag,to live freely as a Jew andor whenThe Jewish Flag I wasthe I spent the most of my life in Bosnia. I always fondly remember (with a sense of joy, Appendix 88 CEU eTD Collection Gustav Seidemann,in Vienna, and their children. is a light too,shining from a small land of in there Middlethis all darkness Ages. spiteof But into darkest the sinking own remark] are cultured nation of poets wants to destroy our own brothers, a how fear with areobserving weJews days itmyThese coffin. covers until my closet and how these people [Germans, people from the Balkans are looked down down I looked on, are people Balkans the from yourleftpeople. own Yearspassed,andI live Bosnia to in And towns. German where there, completely right to do so – we [Serbs] fought for our people, and now you have to fight for was up there myon house. When I toldhim handshe shook me with andsaid: are You army mycaptain into came After buyingstore. somethinghe measked kind what ofaflag [Serbian] commissioner said. So the Serbian army rolled intotown and couple of days ago an the forever”, me remember he’ll face his on hard so him slap “I’ll returns, soldier that if and accept touse is the Jewish one. I was told that, because they knowme, I am allowed todo so, have to hoist to have time I wouldn’t be able to hoist my Jewishthis flag. that threaten I went to came to the soldier localSerbian a authoritiestown the fled army to sayAustrian the thatwhen if I turbulence YomKippur… During of times our the moved because aweeklater occasion of was my me: onceacharity wife and wentwithout that in town nooccasion public say was there were to tell me: “Oh, Ihad noidea you were aJew!” I won’t come off as immodest when I’ll want to be respected as a Jew, andasked I me wantwhy I always andto straightspare away let peoplemyself know I was Jewish. of I told a him possiblebecause I for understanding dignity. Jewishnational One local the commissioner self-respect day and insult if somebody Jews notonly in but Prijedor throughoutBosnia. Thenon Jewish population had afull So the flag stayed there for years. I had an honor that my example was followed by followedmy was that years. Ihadanhonor example for flag there So the stayed some flag, and now that we do not use the Austrian one anymore, the only flag I Jevrejski glas Jevrejski Eretz Israel Eretz (Sarajevo), 1933 (Sarajevo), 89 wasn’t able to hoist my flag. So it will be in be will it So my flag. hoist to able , the land of land, the fathers, children of our our CEU eTD Collection Spomenica 19191969,Savez Jevrejskih Jugoslavije, II Opština Beograd: osnivanje saveza. Jevrejski almanah [Jewish Almanac Belgrade]1954; 1955/6; 1957/8; Savez jevrejskih Stjepan Radi Zbornik Mirjane Gross: u povodu 75.ro ZbornikMirjane Gross: upovodu Udruženje „ Brochures, Pamphlets, Publications Židov-Hajehudi [The Jew],Weekly: Zagreb,1917-1941. Jevrejski glas [Jewish Voice], Weekly: Sarajevo, 1928-1941. Historijski zbornik Almanac], [History godina LVI-LVII,2003-2004., Zagreb,izdava Jevrejski istorijski muzej – ZbornikBeograd, 6,Studije,i arhivska memoarska gra Izvještaj akademi Židova Izvještaj društva ý Newspapers and periodicals The National inand R6965,Correspondence University Library Zagreb, Trezor and Speeches Archives andArchival Collections asopis za suvremenu povijest d.d., Zagreb, 1908. opština Jugoslavije. uredniku „Doma“)uredniku Political Death], Tiskom Hrvatske [Frank's Pu Zagrebu, Zagreb, 1999. Her 75 (1918-1945) za hrvatskuDruštvo Goldstein: povjesnicu, Ivo u kraljevstvu SHSiNDH Hrvatska Belgrade],1992. in Jews the of history the about materials memorial and archival Studies, VI, Jevreja uBeogradu, [Jewish Beograd, Historical Museum – Belgrade,JewishStudies of of Academicthe Society of Jews from Yugoslavthe 1904-1904;1911-1912.Lands], of of Lavoslav (1881-1941) Schick Narodni rad“ ü , Frankova politi th Birthday], Zavod za hrvatsku povijest Filozofskog Birthday],zahrvatsku fakulteta Zavod Sveu povijest , Zagreb, 1922-23. [Journal [Journal for Contemporary History], 37(2005), 2, 479-495. þ ka smrt(Izvješ þ ara iz jugoslavenskih zemalja „BaruBe Giora“ zemalja jugoslavenskih ara iz Bibliography ÿ endana of [Mirjana Almanac: In Gross Honor the 90 ü e o glavnoj e o raspravi u tiskovnoj parnici proti þ ke Selja þ þ ÿ ke Tiskare u [Reports a oistoriji þ ilišta u þ : CEU eTD Collection Andrea Feldman, Andrea Goldstein Ivo, Goldstein sources Electronic Hillel J. Kieval, The Making of Czech Jewry: National Conflict and Jewish Society in Zbornik Mirjane Gross: u povodu 75.ro ZbornikMirjane Gross: upovodu i Hercegovinu1566-1966 [Memorial to Spomenica JevrejauBosnu oddolaska 400godina Avram Pinto Obitelj-Mišpaha [Famil Dva stolje Goldstein Ivo, Goldstein Goldstein Ivo, Freidenreich Harriet Pass, Harriet Freidenreich Banac Ivo, Books istorijskiJevrejski Zbornik muzej, 1997,Cvi i Loker, Sarajevski 7,Beograd sefardski spor Zagrebu, Zagreb, 1999. Bohemia 1870-1918(NewYork:Oxford University 1988). Press, Sophia Kemlein, Fibre, (Osnabrück: 2004). Mittel- 1918-1939, ed. Johanna undOsteuropa, Gehmacher, Elizabeth Harvey and 1939) Her 75 Equality fouryears hundred of Jewish Presence inBosnia and 1566-1966] Herzegovina Šalom NoviFreiberger, Liber Zagreb, 1996). history history and culture in Zagreb and Croatia] (Zagreb,Židovska op Liber, 2004). The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1979). 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