Volume XXV No. 7 July, 1970 INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE ASSOClATfON OF JEWISH REflKEES IN CREAT BRITAIN Robert Weltsch details this, too, was not a novelty. Goldmann had explained his political point of view both with regard to Israel and the Diaspora in the last chapters of his autobiography which ap­ FIFTY YEARS SERVICE TO JEWRY peared in London last month** (but published in the United States already at the end of last Nahum Goldmann: The Affair and the Man year). By virtue of these last chapters, which are not strictly autobiographical but concern the future, this book has become a kind of Three years after the so-called " Six-Day ber theatre. The mockery of the Israeli estab­ polemical pamphlet, in addition to being a War " there is still no relief in Israel's situ­ lishment, the funny persiflage of its—and the kaleidoscope of almost 60 years of Jewish ation. Many had naively expected that the average Israeli citizen's—naive self-righteous­ history. It also reveals the origin and intel­ fruit of victory would be an honourable peace. ness, and the unequivocal anti-war tendency lectual background of this man who has been Indeed, a leading Israel personality at that aroused strong indignation, but even many who in the limelight over the last months. Although time mockingly said that Nasser had been disliked the play defended its presentation in the controversy about his ideas has abated revealed as a " paper tiger", and that Israel accordance with the democratic principle of slightly, it is by no means over. Dramatic and was waiting for an Arab telephone call pro- freedom of speech and of artistic expression. tragic events in the military field and es­ Posing negotiations. It is perhaps understand­ Nevertheless, the performances (which were pecially the extended Russian engagement on able that the elation of victory nourished such almost daily interrupted by uproar) had to be the Arab side, have created a feeling of emer­ an illusion, but it was not a sign of far-sighted stopped after a run of a few weeks because of gency in Israel, where internal discussions are statesmanship. It is now—too late—almost com­ public pressure, especially from part of the placed in the background. But this very situ­ mon view that the initiative should have come extremist press.* Actually, criticism should not ation highlights past omissions and is apt to from Israel in June, 1967, without the humilia­ be mistaken as " defeatism " or as weakening emphasise the urgency for a new orientation. tion of the vanquished. There was no need to of military preparedness. It is one of the signs boast of Israel's obvious military superiority; of independent thought and of the awakening In Pre-War Gennany the need was to show Israel's awareness that of the nation's consciousness, tired of national­ military victory does not solve everything, and ist slogans and of reliance on military strength Apart from these topical issues, Goldmann's that the political issue in its wider context only without seeking more promising political autobiography may be of special interest for must be tackled in a reasonable way. ideas. the readers of this joumal because a large part In the last months the situation has been For that reason Nahum Goldmann's bold of it is closely linked with the Jewish situation aggravated, with no solution in sight and with initiative, whatever was felt about its details, in Germany. Although born in the small a large part of world opinion now arrayed was welcomed at least by a minority, and Lithuanian townlet of Visznevo on July 10, against Israel. While life is going on fairly discussed with interest. Much more widespread 1895—he thus celebrates his 75th birthday this normally inside Israel, acts of war at the cease­ was the view that the Government had month—he was six years old when the family fire line and shocking atrocities abound. The blundered in its handling of the affair. Quite moved to Frankfurt and Goldmann was edu­ ensuing indignation makes reconciliation more unnecessarily it was tumed into a publicity cated in Germany and spent his formative remote than ever. In such a situation it is stunt and a display of personal animosity, to years there. True he never lost that character clear that only some unorthodox bold initiative the detriment of Israel's prestige and image. At indelebilis which the provenience from a could possibly break the ice. That is why the the same time, it is evident that the issue at Yiddish " shtettel" provides. But the more " Goldmann affair " has stirred up such strong dispute was not only the question of proced­ interesting phenomenon is his devotion to emotions in Israel. The surprising suggestion ure, i.e. insistence of the Israel Government German culture, literature and philosophy, that the leading Arab ruler. President Abdul that Arab peace moves should be directly which made the young boy an enthusiastic Nasser, may have agreed to have an— addressed only to themselves, in accordance German also in the political sense. He was one admittedly non-committal—conversation with with its own rigid (and now most controver­ of those—at that time before the First World a well-known Jewish statesman, however un­ sial) formula of " direct negotiations " which War not uncommon—Jewish intellectuals of representative of the present Israeli Govern­ no Arab can accept at this juncture. The issue Eastern European origin, who regarded Ger­ ment, had a catalytic effect on Israel public also involved the merits of the case. The fact many as their gateway to the world, and to opinion. The result was an amazing amount of is that Goldmann's ideas about peace and about the acquisition of knowledge. Compared with utterances in favour of a more active peace the future of the State of Israel, and also his Tsarist Russia, Germany was a heaven of free­ policy. From many quarters, but predom­ appraisal of the actual possibilities, are at dom. Having been a kind of prodigy, a brilliant inantly from spokesmen of the younger gen­ great variance with the views hitherto main­ orator whilst still at high school, appearing eration, the Govemment is now reproached for tained by official spokesmen. However, owing " illegally" as a successful speaker at public not more unequivocally declaring its willing­ to the coalition of very divergent elements, meetings for the Zionist cause, Goldmann put ness to make concessions for the sake of peace. no agreed platform has yet emerged from the all his great talents at the service of Germany Primarily it is criticised for failing to avoid Govemment, and some of its ministers have when the First World War broke out. He tells actions which bar the way to an understanding gone on record as proclaiming far-reaching us with complete candour of his conviction even with moderate Arabs, such as the con­ annexionist aims (not underwritten by the that Germany was fighting for a just cause, fiscation of land in Arab Hebron and the Government as a whole). that it represented the morally and culturally announcement of a project to establish a One cannot be surprised that a fresh breeze superior party in that great contest. Not yet Jewish settlement in this occupied territory. blew into the stuffy atmosphere and caused a 20 years of age he wrote patriotic pro-German kind of shock treatment, when Goldmann, articles for the " Frankfurter Zeitung ", which For the first time, opposition in Israel is so greatly impressed the proprietor of that very vocal; not of course, in Parliament which having frequently defined his attitude in speeches, published his ideas tentatively in paper. Dr. Heinrich Simon, that he reprinted IS paralysed by the coalition system of so-called them in a brochure which the German Foreign national unity, but in public manifestations, in the reputed American Quarterly " Foreign Affairs", and subsequently at the beginning Office was eager to use as propaganda. To cut newspaper articles, on the radio, in intellectual a long and interesting story short Goldmann, circles and mainly among university professors of April, in a series of six long articles in the and students. One of the rather bizarre ex­ Hebrew daily " Haaretz". Apart from some ** Memories. The autobiography ol Nahum Goldmann. amples of protest was the production of a The story of a lifelong battle by World Jewry's Ambassador- at-large. Weidenfeld & Nicoison. London, 1970. 358 pp. satirical anti-Government play called "The * According to news received after this article was 84s. written, the nerformances will be resumed in premises Queen in the Bath Tub " at the Tel-Aviv cham­ outside Tel Aviv.—The Editor. Continued on page 2 Page 2 AJR INFORMATION July, 1970 most prominent representative of organised FIFTY YEARS SERVICE TO JEWRY Diaspora Jewry, and he often tried to explain to Israeli authorities the inevitability of Continued from page 1 permanent Diaspora existence and the pecul­ iarity of the resulting position. He warned the though being an enemy alien, landed in the mann co-operated with Stephen Wise and, Israeli Government of potential conflicts which propaganda department of the Auswdrtiges after the latter's death, became president of could arise when the Jewry of a particular Amt, where he stayed until the end of the war. Congress, an office he still holds. During his country were placed in a dilemma between years in America, in the Second World War divergent policies. One case in point was the This early chapter of his life will amaze and after, he became one of the leading Jewish Suez invasion of 1956, which was strongly many who regard Germany as the very in­ public figures, and there were few contempor­ opposed by the American Govemment (and, carnation of antisemitism.