us-005578-irn507373-irn611132
type: RecordSet
archival history: Rossiĭskiĭ gosudarstvennyĭ voennyĭ arkhiv
biographical history: Centralverein deutscher Staatsbürger jüdischen Glaubens (Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith) was founded in Berlin in 1893 to safeguard Jewish civil and social equality against rising German antisemitism. The Central-Verein or CV advocated a German-Jewish"symbiosi" and denied that German Jews were a part of a worldwide Jewish national entity. It was therefore accused by contemporary Zionists and some later historians of promoting assimilation. Actually the CV opposed apostasy and intermarriage. Starting as a solely outward-looking defense organization "Abwehrverei"), its leaders, mainly influenced by Eugen Fuchs (1856–1923), soon added the goals of an organization of conviction "Gesinnungsverei"), embracing an internal Jewish aim to strengthen the ties of Jewish identity. Accused of assimilationist, Fuchs declared in 1917:"If indeed the Centralverein would promote apostasy and the disintegration of Judaism, while Zionism confirms antisemitism, I would go over, without a moment's hesitation and under flying banners, into the Zionist camp because … I regard antisemitism as the lesser evi" (quoted in the “Um Deutschtum und Judentum”) Besides initiating legal action and publicity campaigns against the defamation of Jews or Judaism, the CV devoted much energy and funds to its literary activities, not only in defense against anti-Semitic invectives, but also as part of the internal Jewish discourse on the substance or the re-definition of Jewish identity in modern times. The organization's main publications were the monthly “Im Deutschen Reich”, from 1895 on the official organ of the cv, replaced in 1922 by the weekly “Central-Verein Zeitung”, which issued a monthly selection for non-Jewish readers. Der Morgen, a learned bimonthly (1925–38), and over 100 books published by the CV Philo-Verlag dealt with a wide range of current and historical problems, not only concerning German Jewry but also worldwide Jewish issues. Its press printed, under different …
conditions of use: Copyright Holder: Rossiĭskiĭ gosudarstvennyĭ voennyĭ arkhiv
has beginning date: 1923-01-01
has beginning date: 1869-01-01
has end date: 1939-12-31
has end date: 1938-12-31
has or had holder: us-005578
has or had identifier: 2
has or had identifier: 1
has or had some members with language: deu
has or had subject: 500
has or had subject: 843
has or had subject: 657
has or had subject: 004320
has record set type: Item
identifier: irn611132
is or was included in: us-005578-irn507373
record resource extent: 248 microfilm reels (partial), 16 mm approximately 500,000 digital images, JPEG
record resource structure: Fond 721 (1869-1939). Opis 1-3; Dela 4370. Arranged in three series: 1. Opis 1, dela 3892: Organization's charts, circular letters, publications, etc.; 2. Opis 2, delo 1-226b: Newspapers and various reports and statistics regarding emigration and anti-Semitism; 3. Opis 3, dela 49: Various correspondence, clippings and statistics regarding situation of Jews in Germany (1920-1938). Note: Location of digital images; Partial microfilm reels #98-102, 11-130, 132-153,156-183, 190-191, 205, 223, 306-375, 597-686; Reel 98-101: Reel start-Reel end ; Reel 102: Reel start-Image #1153; Reel 111: Image #780-1635; Reel 112-118: Reel start-Reel end; Reel 119: Image #240-Reel end; Reel 120-130: Reel start-Reel end; Reel 132: Image#1008- Reel end; Reel 134-153: Reel start-Reel end; Reel 156: Image #1702-Reel end; Reel 157-162: Reel start-Reel end; Reel 163: Image #957-2449; Reel 164-182: Reel start-Reel end; Reel 183: Reel start-Image #791; Reel 190: Reel start-Reel end; Reel 191: Reel start-Image # 1759; Reel 205: Image #887-Reel end; Reel 223: Image 1037-Reel end; Reel 306: Image #1661-Reel end.
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: The collection consists of the organization charts, minutes, reports, circulars, correspondence, announcements, administrative and financial documents, bulletins, newspaper clippings, and the catalog of books held by the organization’s library. Most of materials originate from 1920s and 1930s and relate to organization’s activities as: organizing professional courses for young people, organizing conferences to protect Jewish communities from antisemitism, building educational curricula and publishing journals of the Jewish youth leagues “Ring” and “Herzlia,” admitting new members and distributing Jewish newspapers. The collection includes rich correspondence with various German Jewish organizations: the Union of Jewish War Veterans, the Union of Jewish Youth Associations in Germany, the union of German Jewish Youth “Ring,” Keren Hayesod, The German Jewish Aid Society (Hilfsverien), the German Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of B’nai B’rith, and other organizations; case files (1930-1938) on specific cases and suits on behalf of members; case files on antisemitism and on political, economic, and legal problems (1923 to 1938). The correspondence and reports relate mainly to the administrative matters, meetings, recruitment, publicity, Jewish schools and Jewish societies, antisemitism and the limitation of Jewish rights in Germany; reporting to the Gestapo, and achievements on behalf of members. Note: USHMM Archives holds only selected records.
title: Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith Centralverein deutscher Staatsbürger jüdischen Glaubens, Berlin (Fond 721)