2 Friday, March 9, 1979

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Purely Commentary

Centenary of Birth of Einstein Retraces Role of Great
Scientist as Jew and as Zionist, as Man of Vision Who
Foresaw the Rise of Nazism and Warned His Generation

By Philip

SIOMOVitZ

Albert Einstein's Jewish and Zionist Loyalties in Their Definitive Historical Aspects

(Continued from Page 1)

whom the creation of Israel was a politica 1
act of an essentially moral quality. Its re
for the snail shell happens to be but one of
fusal illuminates a -good deal of Einstein's
the material products of the snail.
life in three starkly honest paragraphs. 'I
"Similarly, the Jewish faith is but
am deeply moved by the offer from our
one of the characteristic products of
state of Israel, and at once saddened and
the Jewish community. It is, further-
ashamed that I cannot accept it,' this said.
more, known that a snail can shed its
`All my life I have dealt with objective mat-
shell without thereby ceasing to be a
ters, hence I lack both the natural aptitude
snail. The Jew who abandons his faith
and the experience to deal properly with
(in the formal sense of the word) is in a
people and to exercise official functions.
similar position. He remains a Jew."
For these reasons alone I should be un-
Prof. Einstein could have been president
suited to fulfill the duties of that high
of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He
4
office, even if adN4ncing age was not mak-
rejected the offer for such academic leader-
ing increasing inroads on my strength.'
ship. He was offered the presidency of Is-
" 'I am the more distressed over these
rael when the first president, Dr. Chaim
USA 15c
circumstances
because my relationship to
Weizmann, died on Nov. 9, 1952. The then
k
the Jewish people has become my strongest
Prime Minister David . Ben-Gurion ex-
Shown
above
is
the
U.S.
commemorative stamp which will be issued April 1
human
bond,
ever
since
I
became
fully
plained the proposal:
aware
of
our
precarious
situation_
among
to
commemorate
the
100th
anniversary
of the birth of Albert Einstein. At right.
"The presidency in Israel is a symbol," he
the nations of the world'! -
Einstein is shown with Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in a 1951 photo.
said later. "It carries with it no power. I
011
" 'Now that we have lost the man who for
thought to myself: If we are looking for a
by his letter of April 3, 1920, refusing to
Freedom from any denomination at all
so
many
years,
against
such
great
and
symbol, why not have the most illustrious
attend a meeting organized by the Central
er.•
was, howeer, a different matter.
tragic odds, bore the heavy burden of lead-
JeW in the world, and possibly the greatest
Association of German Citizens of Jewish
"
'I
myself
belong
to
no
denomination
ing us towards political independence, I
man alive — Einstein? That's all there was
Faith to help combat anti-Semitism in
and consider myself a faithful Jew,' he
hope with , all my heart that a successor
to it. Had he accepted, I would have sub-
academic circles.
went on. 'In how far we Jews should con-
may
be
found
whose
experience
.and
per-
mitted his name to the Knesset — in Israel
" I should gladly come if I believed it
sider
ourselves as a race or a nation respec- I
sonality
will
enable
him
to
accept
the
for
:
the Knesset elects the president — and I
possible for such an undertaking ,to suc-
tively, in how far we form a social commu- 111
midable and responsible task.'
am quite sure that the motion for his elec-
ceed,' he wrote. 'First, however, the anti-
nity by tradition only, on this subject I
"Thus the matter ended — after the
tion would have been carried by acclama-
Semitism and the servile disposition
have not yet arrived at a decisive judg- 4111
editor-in-chief of Maariv had made an
tion."
among us Jews in our own ranks would
ment. It suffices that we form a social body
impassioned
entreaty
for
reconsidera-
That episode in Einstein's life, the offer
have to be combatted by more knowledge.
of people which stands out more or less
tion of the idea, an _ d after Einstein had
of the Israel presidency, is fully detailed by
More dignity and more independence in
distinctly from the rest of humanity, and
Pointed out that however formal his
his biographer, Ronald W. Clark in the
our ranks! Not until we dare to regard our-
the reality of which is not doubted by any-
functions,
as
president
he
would
be
re-
World-published "Life and Times of Eins-
selves as a nation, not until we respect
one.' "
sponsible for the country's actions and
tein":
ourselves, can we gain
esteem of
Einstein was alert to the realities of the
these. might conflict with his con- others, or rather only then the
will it come of
"Einstein, like most of his friends, re-
- tragic era in the 1920s when Adolf Hitler
science."
its
own
accord.
There
will
be
anti-
fused to take the idea seriously and
was about to rise to power in his native
This is the historic incident about the
Semitism in the sense of a psychological
when the New York Times asked for
land. When the Jewish leaders in Germany
man who was quoted as having said: "I am
phenomenon as long as Jews come into
his reaction on the evening of Sunday
were blind to the effects of Hitlerism and
sorry I was born a Jew, because it deprived
contact with non-Jews — what does it mat-
the 16th, he refused to comment.
insisted that Hitlerism was a passing
me of the privilege of choosing to be a Jew."
ter? Perhaps we owe it to anti-Semitism
Shortly- afterwards, the telephone in
phase and that a crackpot would soon be
It was Albert Einstein the Zionist who
that we can maintain ourselves as a race. I
Mercer Street rang again and the
fully repudiated, by the German people,
emerged on the scene, in times of crises for
at
least
believe
so.
operator said that Washington was on
j-e-wry and the liberation movement, as one
Einstein foresaw the impending danger. In
"If I catch sight' of an expression like
the line. 'Herr Gott,' exclaimed Helen
his book "Painter's Self-Portrait," the late
of the chief advocates of statehood for
`German
citizens
of
Jewish
faith'
I
cannot
"Dukas, (Einstein's secretary), who had
James N. Rosenberg described his visit
Jewry. He spoke often, effectively, in sup-
help smiling a little sadly. What is there to
answered: 'Washington! What is wrong
with_Jewish leaders in Germany in 1926.
port of the Jewish national cause, and on
be found in this pretty label? What is
now?' This time itwas Abba Eban, the
He describes the experience:
one occasion he said: "I am against
Jewish faith? Does there exist a kind of
Israeli ambassador" to the United
"A dinner party was given for me at the
nationalism, but I am in favor of Zionism.
unbelief by virtue of which one ceases
States, who was making an informal
- splendid Wahnsee home of Lola Hahn,
"The reason has become clear to me to-
being a Jew? There is not. But it suggests
inquiry. Would Einstein accept the
glamorous daughter Of Felix- Warburg's
that the right people believe two things,
presidency if it were offered by a vote _ day:When a man has both arms and he is
brother
Max. There I met some 20 topmost
always
saying
I
have
a
right
arm,
then
he
i.e., (1) I don't wish to have anything to do
of the Knesset?
German Jews, who were eager to know
is a chauvinist. However, when the right
with
my
poor
(East
European)
Jewish
"His reply was in keeping with his repu-
about the Crimean work. Albert Einstein
arm is missing, then he must do something
brethren, and (2) I do not want to be taken
tation. 'His main and urgent thought,' says
-.4
was one of the guests.
to make up for the missing limb. Therefore
for a child of my own people, but only as a
Prof. Mitrany, who was with him when the
"When
the
time
came
for
me
to
speak,
I
I am, as a human being, an opponent of
member of a Jewish community.
call came through, 'was how to spare the
•
dealt but briefly with the Crimea and
nationalism. But as a Jew I am from today
" 'Is this sincere? Can the 'Aryan' feel
ambassador the embarrassment of his in-
turned to another topic. This, be it remem-
a
supporter
of
the
Jewish
Zionist
efforts.'
"
any respect for such underhand fellows? I
evitable refusal.'
bered, was 1926. Taking a magazine called
"Einstein's support was to be com-
com-
am neither a German citizen nor is there
"To Eban the situation was equally
Bren Essel (Nettle) from my pocket, I told -- 411
plicated by the general situation in
anything in me which can be designated as
clear: 'Einstein was visibly moved by the
how by chance I had picked up that savage
Germany. Support for assimilation
`Jewish faith.' But I am a Jew and am glad
splendor and audacity of the thought,' he
anti-Semitic journal at the Berlin railway w-1
was
possibly
even
stronger
among
to belong to the Jewish people, even if I do
has said, 'but his rejection was firm and
station.
Jews there than it had previously been,
not consider them in any way God's elect.
vehement: 'I know a little about nature,' he
"Pointing- to hideously offensive
partly as a result- of the forces un-
Let us calmly leave anti-Semitism to the
said, 'and hardly anything about men.' He
caricatures of some of the very men
leashed by the war, which tended to
non-Jew and retain our love for people of
implored me to accept his negative decision
who sat at that dinner table and to in-
draw together all those living within
our kind.
as final and do everything possible to di-
citing libels against them, I asked what
the
German
Empire,
partly
as
a
reac-
"
'I
hope
that
you
will
not
frown
on
ac-
vert and banish the pre'ss whose represen-
was being done to stop Hitler. They lis-
tion to what was considered the Jewish
count of this confession. No harm or un-
tatives were laying siege to his house in
tened tolerantly to this ignorant
influence
behind
the
Russian
Revolu-
kindness is meant.'
Mercer Street.'
American and assured him that Hitler
tion. Few wished to carry the policy as
"Einstein was later to put his point of
"But Eban's instructions had come direct
was just another one of those harmless
far as Einstein's colleague Haber, who
view even more pungently. The German
from the prime , minister. He finally con-
demagogues who from time to time
had taken himself and his family into
Jew who works for the Jewish people and
vinced Einstein that it would be improper
rose briefly to the surface and soon
the Christian church. Yet there we _ re
for the Jewish home in Palestine no more
for him to reject the proposal on the tele-
vanished.
many for whom the possibilities of
ceases to be a German than the Jew who
phone, and the following day made a for-
"Germany, they told me, suffers
Zionism had a double danger.
becomes baptized and changes his name
mal telegraphed request that he should re-
such anti-Semitism as did we of the L .
"It made more difficult their own at-
ceases to be a Jew,' he wrote in 1926. "The They were members of some of Germany's
ceive his deputy to seek his 'reaction on a
tempts to become assimilated into the
two attachments are grounded in realities
matter of the most utmost urgency and im-
most exclusive clubs. Einstein's warnings
non-Jewish German community and it
of different kinds. The antithesis is not be-
portance.'
were heeded no -more than were mine. Who
provided a weapon for those endemic
tween Jew and German, but between hon-
can blame them?"
"Einstein telephoned Eban, again
anti-Semites whose attitude had helped to
esty and lack of character. He who remains
Albert Einstein, the most eminent of sci-
declining the invitation. However, on
- produce Zionism. Thus for every man who
true to his origin, race, and tradition will
entists, the confirmed anti-nationalist,
Tuesday the 18th a formal letter was
welcomed Einstein's espousal of the
also remain loyal to the state of which he is
found justice in Zionist nationalism out of a
brought to Princeton by the Israeli
Zionist cause there vvaS another among his
a subject. He who is faithless to the one will
duty to protect the life of the Jewish
minister, David Goiten. 'Acceptance
friends who would warn that this was not
also be faithless to the other.'
nation. He found faith in Jewish tradi-
would entail moving to Israefand tak-
really the way to further the cause of Jews
"A further gloss on his position is
tions.
He devoted himself to an ideal inher-
ing its citizenship;' said the letter. 'The
in Germany; that pressure on them-would
given by a letter written on an un-
ent in protecting his heritage as a Jew.
prime minister assures me that in such
be increased; and that if there were too
known date in 1921 to the Prague
He was a giant among men. For Jewry he
circumstances complete facility and
much talk of a National Home outside
pharmacologist Prof. Starkenstein.
was
an inspiration in the battle for reten-
freedom to pursue your great scientific
Europe there would be increasing demands
Einstein stressed that denomination tion of an historic role in the world and
work would be afforded by the gov-
for Jews to be sent there.
was itself unimportant, although for a
attainment of the dignity that links a
ernment and people who are fully con-
"The forces supporting assimilation
Jew • to embrace another faith was a people with its ancestry. His is a name that
scious of the supreme significance of
. were certainly strong, but so too were Eins-
symbolic action, indicating that he
your labors.'
tein's feelings once he had become seized of wished to cut himself off from his own will be associated with. the most saintly,
most creative, most respected in the his-
"It was a persuasive appeal to a man for
the Zionist cause. Just how strong is shown
people. - Possibly he had Haber in mind. tory of the Jewish people.

Einstein.

-

-