Reichsbund jüdischer Frontsoldaten
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The Reichsbund jüdischer Frontsoldaten (Reich Federation of Jewish Front Soldiers, RJF) was founded in Germany, February 1919, by Leo Löwenstein. Its purpose was opposition to the renewed spread of Antisemitic thought which began at that time; one of the standard arguments of the Antisemites was the supposed lack of loyalty of the Jews to the countries they lived in.
Against this, the Reichsbund always emphasized 85.000 Jewish soldiers had fought for the German Kaiserreich in World War I, and 12.000 had died, which put their loyalty to Germany beyond any reasonable doubt. At its high times the Reichsbund had about 55.000 members.
The Reichsbund always was in opposition to Zionism and regarded the German Reich as the mother country of all German Jews.
All activities of the Reichsbund were outlawed by the Nazi government in 1936, and in 1938 it was completely dissolved.
[edit] Typical Quotation
| “ | The RJF sees the basis of its work as complete allegiance to the German homeland. It does not have any goal or desire outside of this German homeland, and sharply rejects any movement which wishes to bring us German Jews to a position of outsiders in relation to this German homeland.[1] | ” |
[edit] Literature
- Ulrich Dunker: Der Reichsbund jüdischer Frontsoldaten 1919 -1938. Geschichte eines jüdischen Abwehrvereins. Droste, Düsseldorf 1977 ISBN 3770004795
- Hans-Christian Kokalj: "Kampf um die Erinnerung". Jüdische Frontkämpfer des Ersten Weltkriegs und ihr Widerstand gegen die rechtspopulistische Propaganda in der Weimarer Republik., in: Tobias Arand (Hg.), Die "Urkatastrophe" als Erinnerung. Geschichtskultur des Ersten Weltkriegs, Münster 2006, S. 81-98 ISBN 3-934064-67-1
