Association of German National Jews

The Association of National German Jews and German Jews National Association (abbreviation VnJ or VNĐ ) was a right-wing conservative Jewish political organization in Germany. The VnJ was founded in 1921 by Max Naumann and 1935 prohibited. The headquarters was in Berlin. Journalistic body of the association was the magazine The National German Jew ( 1922-1934 ). Due to the dominant influence of the founding father of the members of the association were also called Naumann Jews or " Naumannianer ".

Work

In contrast to the major political organizations of German Jewry, including Central Association or the Zionist Association, the Association never became a representative representatives of the German Jews. During the entire duration of its existence, the Association had barely more than 3,500 members. Nevertheless, the association has an important role to play as an ideological outsider. The provocative positions and inflammatory expressions of this extreme right-wing fringe group attracted a lot of attention in the German Jewish public. The great Jewish Federation organs, such as the CV -Zeitung, found themselves regularly forced to critical comments against the bearing Naumann.

The VnJ maneuvered by its attitudes and tirades ultimately to marginalization. He split the one hand, more and more of the Jewish community from, but on the other hand came not to the desired acceptance in German society. The Nazis were the Anbiederungsversuche the Naumann Jews a particular thorn in the side, which is why the VnJ was earlier than other Jewish organizations banned on 18 November 1935.

Politics and ideology

The VnJ was an anti- democratic, right-wing Conservative Association, which decided rejected the system of the Weimar Republic. The members of the VnJ were recruited mainly from the anti-Zionist and nationalist camps of the German Jewish education bourgeoisie. A historical or cultural community with millions of Jews outside Germany was refused. In the Articles of Association of the VnJ wrote:

" The Association of National German Jews seeks the unification of all those Germans of the Jewish tribe who feel grown in open confession of their descent so inextricably linked to the German character and German culture, that they are not unlike German feel and think. He fought all the manifestations and operations un- mind, they like to go out by Jews or non-Jews who affect the resurgence of German national strength, honesty German and German self-esteem and thus jeopardize the re- emergence of Germany to a respected position in the world. "

Awareness went to the VnJ near folkish ideologies and also distanced himself not decidedly anti -Semitic positions from. The widespread resentment of the interwar period, picking up, he warned against the " Ostjudengefahr ". Next he attacked the Zionists and so-called Zwischenschichtler to, namely the members of the Central Association, and referred to them as enemies of the German national cause. Programmatically, was the Association of the German National People's Party ( DNVP ) on the neighbor a temporary coalition partner of the NSDAP. The political and ideological orientation of the VnJ culminated after the handover of power to Hitler in expressions of loyalty to the Nazi regime.