area rugs
the state the nation and the jews liberalism and the antisemitism dispute in bismarcks germany
the state the nation and the jews is a study of germanys late nineteenth century antisemitism dispute and of the liberal tradition that engendered it . the berlin antisemitism dispute began in 1879 when a leading german liberal heinrich von treitschke wrote an article supporting anti jewish activities that seemed at the time to gel into an antisemitic movement . treitschkes comments immediately provoked a debate within the german intellectual community . responses from supporters and critics alike argued the relevance meaning and origins of this new antisemitism . ultimately the dispute was as much about germans and how they could best consolidate their recently formed national state as about jews and those who hated them . treitschkes liberal antisemitism threw into sharp relief the antinomies inherent in the modern constellation of state culture and society . br in a newly united germany the dispute forced the intellectual community to question the parameters of national identity . born within the liberal tradition that at the time mostly championed jewish emancipation the disputes core question was how state nation race ethnicity and religion should relate to one another . from a close analysis of the crucial contributions to the debate marcel stoetzler crafts a compelling critique of liberalism and liberal notions of national identity . the specifics of the dispute raise uncomfortable questions about the role of race religion and ethnicity within modern liberalism . the dispute provides an avenue for understanding the development of antisemitism within liberal society and ultimately is an indictment of liberalism itself .