“How much longer Jewish People—No-People?” is the title under which Alfred Doeblin, the famous author of “Berlin Alexanderplatz,” makes an eloquent appeal to the Jews of the world. It consists of one chapter in his recently published work, “Our Life.”
Doeblin is one of the most profound representatives of the literature of the New Germany—or the “Old” Germany, as its new rulers now call it. The subject matter of his work and the skill and beauty of his treatment have earned for him an outstanding place in modern German literature, and a seat in the highest body in the German world of art, the “Academy of Poetry.” His “Berlin Alexanderplatz” has become famous throughout the world. In it he portrays, in the figure of a German workman, the whole life of proletarian Berlin. It is a very great work of art, and it will live for ever—even should Hitler change the whole face of Berlin.
DISCOVERS JEWISH ROOTS
Alfred Doeblin was brought up in a typical German-Jewish family of assimilationist tendencies. In the course of the last few years, however, he has become actively interested in Jewish affairs. Visiting Jewish Poland, he looked at it with keen insight, and discovered his own intimate connection with the suffering Jewish masses. An irrational instinct, deeply rooted in this unconscious Jewish mind of his, brought him close even to the Chassidic Rabbis, and this in spite of his radical anti-clericalism and the scepticism that is inevitable in a scientist (Doeblin is a physician by profession). It is therefore no wonder that Doeblin should have felt the anti-Jewish character of the recent German development some time ago. While many leaders of German thought refused to admit it, while the majority of German Jews looked on National Socialism as a temporary mental aberration of the German people, Doeblin saw the catastrophe coming, and turned with renewed vigor to the source of all his work—Judaism.
Out of this feeling of Jewishness was born this chapter about the Jewish people which occupies the most important position in his new book “Our Life.” This chapter was written some months before the calamity came, and is significant for the remarkable presentiments it contains. Doeblin demands the creation of a “Secular Association of Jews.” But he realizes with what opposition this will meet among the patriotic German Jews, and he attacks them in strong terms. His words only too soon became bitter truth.
FEAR OF SELF-ASSERTION
“What prevents the Jews from creating a world association is their fear of the majority peoples in the lands in which they live. They are American, or French or German or Dutch citizens—on paper, at least—and they hope, by means of hard work, and suffering, or by a hush-hush policy, ultimately to turn this theoretical citizenship into a real citizenship. Some few may succeed in this—do not ask by what means. With constant dishonest professions with constant self-deception, they refuse to admit the bitter truth: that in all lands it is but a short step from this theoretical citizenship to pogroms or to a new Ghetto. Even in a situation such as this they refuse to take measures of self-defence. Do they wish to be like toothless dogs?”
“Instead of trembling with fear, they should speak out openly. They live in a fatherland which is not their own, and they must stand outside it. A thousand times may they think that this fatherland is their own, but the hour will come when the door will be slammed in their face. Every Jew living in a Diaspora fatherland is subject to this possibility. What sense then has their fear? Far better for them to devote their strength to seeing to it that this terrible threat should no longer be able to terrify them.”
WORLD JEWISH ASSOCIATION
Doeblin does not merely talk of the coming catastrophe. He tries also to indicate the positive historic tasks of the Jewish people. He recognizes the value of the constructive work being done in the various ‘Diaspora fatherlands’, but he dreams of an all-uniting ‘secular Jewish association’, free of religious orthodoxy, which should broaden the sphere of Jewish life. His aim is to strengthen the inner power of Judaism. He is full of enthusiasm for the ‘old heroic people of Israel,’ as it was thousands of years ago, living on its own soil. He expects from a ‘Jewish Reformation’ “a resurrection of true religion, not of ritualistic orthodoxy. We must get back to pure religion, based on the mighty pillar of Jewish culture—the desire for Justice for Liberty, for a fruitful pride, which are part of our nature. We must prove that we love Justice, not for our own sakes, but Justice for Justice’s sake.”
Alfred Doeblin, now fifty years old, is now himself in exile. His books have been placed on the Nazi blacklist, and have been publicly burned.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
