Emancipation and Constitutional Patriotism: The Centralverein and the Weimar Republican Order

Jan Rybak*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract (may include machine translation)

The article explores the conceptualization of Jewish emancipation and the republican order of state by activists of the Central Association of German Citizens of the Jewish Faith (Centralverein deutscher Staatsbürger jüdischen Glaubens, CV) in the Weimar years. It argues that activists adopted a liberal conception of constitutional patriotism and involved themselves in a republican nation-building project that went substantially beyond its traditional tasks of defence (Abwehr) and enlightenment (Aufklärung) against antisemitism. This entailed rallying fellow republicans to the defence of the order of state, advocating for the spirit of the constitution and rule of law and actively participating in the development of the republican society. In doing so, the CV rethought what it meant to be 'German' and came to understand it in a distinctively republican form, arguing that identification with the constitution and the republican ideals were the truest expression of Germanness. As 'German' came to be understood as the free expression of the people's spirit and will, Jews' belonging to Germany was seen as the result of a teleological process of the materialization of the 'German spirit', manifested in the republic. The article therefore reads the history of the Centralverein during the Weimar Republic not only in regard to its role for the Jewish community but crucially as one of the liberal movements that aimed to develop and defend the German republic.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)519-537
Number of pages19
JournalGerman History
Volume40
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2022
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Emancipation and Constitutional Patriotism: The Centralverein and the Weimar Republican Order'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this