By JOSEF FRAENKEL
Jewish . News London Correspondent
The Austrian people are cele-
brating the anniversary of Her-
mann Bahr's 100th birthday
(1863-1934). He was a poet,
critic, novelist, editor, drama-
tist, producer, B oh e m i a n,
preacher and "prophet" — the
Bernard Shaw of Vienna. Aus-
tria has issued a special stamp
bearing his likeness.
Hermann Bahr and Theodor
Herzl, who was three years older,
were friends as students, and
later on, as writers, moved in
the same literary circles. Herzl
and Bahr belonged to the same
student fraternity and an inci-
dent provoked by Bahr was to
have a profound influence upon
Herzl's life, leading him on to
Zionism.
In 1878, Herzl was studying
law at Vienna University, and
two years later he joined the
student fraternity "Albia," where
he enjoyed many happy times.
He proudly wore the "Albia"
sash and colored cap, attended
the "Albia den" every day, and
in May 1881 he fought a stu-
dents' duel.
The aim of the "Albia" was
to instill its members with the
German "Weltanschauung."
The few Jewish members were
more enthusiastically "Ger-
man" than the authentic Ger-
mans, except for Herzl, who
opposed this tendency. In a
short time he alone revolted
against the German "Weltan-
schauung," and was regarded
with mistrust in the "Albia"
where he poured scorn and
contempt upon what his fellow
students admired.
Some 30 years ago the author
of this article was the only per-
son permitted to study the ar-
chives of the "Albia," destroyed
during the Second World War;
and also talked with one of the
oldest members of the fraternity,
who recalled Herzl and t h e
events of those far-off days.
The "Albia" gave its members
special nicknames, each charac-
teristic of the student who bore
it. Herzl was given the name of
an heroic figure, who had taken
a prominent part in the con-
quest of Jerusalem during the
Crusades, and who bore the title
"Tancred, Prince of Galilee,
Prince of Antioch." "Tancred"
was Herzl's nickname in the
"Albia," for already as a student
he suggested the figure of Tan-
cred during the debates on the
Jewish question.
Hermann Bahr was an ar-
dent admirer of Ritter von
Schoenerer and usually at-
tended his anti-Semitic meet-
ings. Deputy von Schoenerer
had a great effect on the stu-
dents and anti-Semitism pene-
trated Vienna University.
Bahr also became a member
of the "Albia" and, while
Herd was already a Senior
Fellow, Bahr was spreading
his antiSemitic poison among
the Freshers. Bahr never for-
got his first meeting with
Herzl, who impressed him by
his unique regal bearing.
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On the death of Richard Wag-
ner, students in Vienna made
preparations for a large memo-
rial gathering. The "Albia" chose
law-student Ernest Hoerner as
one of the speakers, but one day
before the meeting Hoerner fell
ill, and Bahr offered to take his
place.
The "Richard Wagner Kom-
mers" took place March 5, 1883,
in Sophien Hall. It turned into
a pan-German demonstration by
the Viennese students. Hermann
Bahr played the leading role at
this memorial meeting, and his
speech was the climax of the
whole evening. He did not talk
of Wagner's music, but passion-
ately proclaimed Wagner's anti-
Semitism and made his own pan-
German declaration of faith, in-
terspersed w i t h anti-Semitic
comments. Bahr's speech was
warmly applauded, but because
he had advocated the "An-
schluss" of Austria to Germany,
the police intervened and closed
the meeting. Bahr was called
before the University Senate and
was expelled. He was thus re-
sponsible for introducing a new
trend into the "Albia"—that of
the national Aryan spirit.
A member of the "Albia"
had delivered an anti-Semitic
speech! His fellow students
had applauded! Herzl could
not, and would not endure
with humiliation; he decided
to sever his connection with
the "Albia" immediately. He
had not himself been at the
"Wagner Kommers," but two
days later he addressed a let-
ter to the Fellows' Convention
of the "Albia," stating that he
did not wish to remain in the
fraternity because its members
had taken part in an anti-
Semitic demonstration "that is
clear to every decent man."
After Herzl had resigned, the
"Albia" decided not to admit
any more Jews. The existing
Jewish members were allowed
to remain as a "special conces-
sion." Herzl undoubtedly learned
a lot from the "Albia" that
determined his later Zionist ac-
tivities. Above all, his Jewish
national feelings were aroused
in the "Albia." It was there
that he developed his flair for
public speaking and learned the
importance of strict discipline
and firm organization. Many of
the themes in his later works,
especially in his play, "The New
Ghetto," were taken from his
experiences and impressions in
the "Albia."
Bahr now was the darling and
the leader of the anti-Semitic
students. From Vienna he went
to Graz, but he was sent down
by Graz University too; he then
left for Czernowitz to continue
his studies, but here too he re-
sumed his anti-Semitic activities.
He participated in every student
skirmish.
One day Bahr and his
friends of the "Armenia" fra-
ternity sat drinking together
in a beer cellar, emptying one
mug of beer after another.
Suddenly the drunken Bahr
exclaimed "Come along to the
`Wunderrabbi of Sadogora't
He'd better look out if he
can't produce a miracle!" A
carriage was ordered immedi-
ately and the drunken stu-
dents, laden with bottles of
beer and wine, soon reached
the home of the Wunderrabbi.
They forced open the door
and entered.
An old Jew with a white beard
sat alone in a room, immersed
in a volume of the Talmud. He
looked calmly at the rowdy stu-
dents and quietly without any
agitation inquired "What do you
want?" "To see the Wunderrabbi
of Sadogora." "Here I am." At
the soothing rhythm of his voice
a sudden silence fell upon the
students. They stood speechless
as though treading upon holy
ground. Bahr felt as though he
were confronted by a patriarch
of the Old Testament. Something
within him stopped the insults
upon his lips. He stood and
stared at the old man; the beer
fumes cleared, he was suddenly
sober again and at last stam-
mered a few embarrassed words
of thanks. The Wunderrabbi
muttered some words in He-
brew, and the students, like
naughty children reprimanded
by their teacher, turned and filed
out again.
Blanshard Effectively Analyzes
Church-State Issue in New Book
Paul Blanshard, already the
center of many controversies in-
volving Catholics, has entered
the arena in the church-state
issue and his newest book, "Re-
ligion and the Schools — The
Great Controversy," published
by Beacon Press, Boston, offers
a thorough evaluation of the
conflict over the attempts that
have been made to introduce
religion in our public schools.
This incident cured Bahr
Viewing the issue as a "con-
and freed him from anti- tinuing controversy," Blanshard
Semitism.
traces it to Jefferson and Madi-
Some years later Bahr pub- son and analyzes the attitudes
lished his "Anti-Semitism: An of all groups — Jews, Catholics,
International Interview" (1894). Protestants — as they were ex-
He invited about 40 persons, pressed in recent and current
among them Theodor Mommsen, debates.
S. Whitman, Ibsen and Bjoern-
son, to express their opinion
about Jews. The great majority
declared themselves a g a inst
anti-Semitism. "Anti-Semitism is
the narcotic of petty souls" or
"Anti-Semitism is the brand of
the canaille;" these sayings were
quoted by Bahr in his book.
Now the anti-Semites turned
upon Bahr and accused him of
being a Jew or of Jewish extrac-
tion. Bahr denied this but the
anti-Semites described him as
possessing a "Jewish soul" in
a "non-Jewish body." Even his
"Albia" criticized him, so that
he resigned from this fraternity.
There is an interesting letter
from Arthur James Balfour to
Bahr, written June 5, 1893:
Referring to the earliest
debates over the issues, in the
Jeffersonial period, Blanshard
states: "Partisan sectarian
propaganda favoring one Pro-
testant denomination against
another Protestant denomina-
tion. But general Protestant
propaganda for Christianity,
not possessing a denomina-
tion label, was often blandly
accepted as quite proper. The
Jew and the atheist were fair
targets for everybodY."
services and Christmas celebra-
tions.
A phrase used by Supreme
Court Justice Hugo Black, pro-
viding a "completely neutral"
solution, is accepted by Blan-
shard. Mr. Justice Black had said
in describing the purposes of
the First Amendment's authors:
"Now as then, it is only by
wholly isolating the state
from the religious sphere and
compelling it to be completely
neutral that the freedom of
each and every denomination
and of all unbelievers can be
maintaied."
Blanshard sees in this design
"no derogation of religion if it
takes its proper place in our
society."
"Religion and the Schools" is
informative and dispassionate.
It is a most valuable analysis of
a major American issue.
23 - THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS -- Friday, Sept. 27, 1963
Dr. Herzl and Hermann Bahr
—P. S.
Sid Shmarak's
Business Briefs
George Econ and George John-
son, well known restaurateurs,
are now associated with Jakk
Freeman at JAKK'S COCKTAIL
LOUNGE & DINING ROOM at
25234 Greenfield, north of 10
Mile Rd. They are open daily
from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., closed
American Jewry's reactions to
Catholic claims, their almost
unanimous action, are reviewed
here, and the position of the na-
tional Jewish organizations is Sundays and feature business-
delineated in its proper ap- men's lunch, dinners and after
proach. While there was an in- theater snacks.
dication of tactlessness in some
Dear Sir,
I beg to acknowledge your letter
Catholic criticisms, Blanshard
of the 3rd of June requesting an
asserts that "the Jesuits handled
interview for the purpose of dis-
COYLE TELEPHONE
cussing the. Jewish question in
the prayer storm with dignity,"
Europe. I should be glad to give
having
given
equal
space
to
the
ANSWERING
SERVICE
you any assistance in your labours
were it in my power to do so. But Jewish reply to America maga-
Now accepting a LIMITED
in truth there is no Jewish ques-
NUMBER of New Clients for
zine's charges as to the charges
tion in England at all and although
Personalized Service.
the problems connected with immi- themselves.
gration from Russia and central
VE 7-6701
Congressional as well as offi-
Europe have excited and still ex-
cial religious and lay leaders'
cite a good deal of attention in this
country, this is not because the
reactions and the manner of
immigrants are Jews, but because
they are paupers. Under these cir- their participation receive full
cumstances I fear you would not
coverage in this volume which
gain anything from the interview
gains in importance because of
which you desire.
Yours faithfully,
the inclusion as appendices such
Arthur James Balfour
valuable texts as the Regents
MUSIC
Bahr and Herd remained good Prayer Decision of 1962, the
LI 8-4432
.4(
friends and often met. Herzl Bible-Reading and Lord's Prayer
called upon Bahr at his office decsion of 1963 and a list of
m •G. M.
MIKE GREEN'S
of "Die Zeit," and Bahr often
went to "Die Neue Freie Presse"
to discuss literary and political
affairs. When Herzl published
the "Jewish State" in 1896, Bahr
recognized Herzl's great mission
for the Jewish people and printed
a pro-Zionist review in his paper.
Bahr admired Herzl, not only
as a leader of the Zionists, but
also as a writer and playwright.
He saw in Herzl a proud Jew,
his greatness as a human being
and his fine talent.
other important church-state
legal cases.
Much of the bitterness in the
debates is examined by Blan-
shard whose study includes an
examination of baccalaureate
Music the Stein-Way
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Sharing Olam Habah
By YEHUDA BURLA
(From his novel, "Hissufim")
All Jews must look for a way
to bring about redemption, be-
cause all Jews have a share in
the Olam Habah, and the Days
of the Messiah take precedence
even over Olam Habah . . . The
thread which connects the peo-
ple of Israel with their Father
in Heaven has been severed
with the Destruction of the
Temple. • To reconnect this
thread, after a thousand years
of the third exile, is in human
hands, as is well known. The
connection of all other threads
is in Heavenly hands, except the
`thread` of the kingdom.' Other-
wise, what sense is there in the
length of exile? Why should all
other nations enjoy the 'thread
of kingdom,' while the sons of
Israel are debased and degraded
and devoid of the grace of king-
dom? One may say that the past
generatons were not worthy of
redemption. If so, indeed, if
generations of the great Tanaites
and Amoraites, the Gaonim and
Poskim, and all the other great
scholars were not worthy, which
generation of the future will be
worthy?
The only way to •outshine
your neighbor is to build a good
reputation and keep it polished.
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