The Rise and Destiny of the German Jew. By Dr. Jacob R. Marcus (Union of American Hebrew Congregations)
The book by Dr. Marcus is the best thus far written on the past and present Jewish situation in Germany, although in part slightly inaccurate. Dr. Marcus, for instance, in enumerating the best contributions of the Jews to German films, includes “Potemkin,” which is a Soviet film, done in Soviet Russia by Eisenstein, the Soviet regisseur.
But inaccuracies such as this do not lessen the value of the entire volume, which is apparently the result of a long and specialized study. It is valuable not only because it is a concise and complete summary of Jewish past and contemporary history in Germany before and after the Nazis came to power, but also because it is written in a way that wins the confidence of every non-Jew who might be interested in studying the German Jewish problem.
Dr. Marcus, looking into the future of German Jewry, predicts that German Jewry will remain in Germany and will seek to adjust itself to the Nazi regime. History, he says, attests the capacity of Jews for endurance against seemingly insufferable odds. He asks, however, whether German Jewry will be able to repeat the feat of their ancestors.
The book is done in a very scholarly manner and shows that the author has a deep erudition and a brilliant knowledge of Jewish life in Germany. The Union of American Hebrew Congregations deserves great praise for publishing the volume by Dr. Marcus.
Milton Brown.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
