The Transformation of German Jewry, 1780-1840

by David Sorkin

The transformation of German Jewry from 1780 to 1840 exemplified a twofold on one level, the end of the feudal status of Jews as an autonomous community forced them to face a protracted process of political emancipation, a far-reaching social metamorphosis, and growing racial
anti-Semitism; yet, on another level, their encounter with the surrounding culture resulted in their own intense cultural productivity. In this ground-breaking study, David Sorkin argues that emancipation and encounter with German culture and society led not to assimilation but to the creation of a
new Jewish identity and community--a true and vibrant subculture that produced many of Judaism's modern movements and fostered a pantheon of outstanding writers, artists, composers, scientists, and academics. He contends that German-Jewish subculture was based not, as widely believed, on
nationalistic--Jewish versus German--or religious--Jewish versus Christian--disparities, but rather on the struggle for freedom and social acceptance in German society. By studying German Jewry's cultural history in its social and political context, as well as in the larger setting of German
history, this study firmly asserts that the subculture both distinguished German Jewry from other European Jewish communities and accounted for its members' prominent role in Jewish and general culture.

Genres: History, Jewish, Germany, Judaism, European History

274 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 1987

About the author

David Jan Sorkin is the Frances and Lawrence Weinstein Professor of Jewish Studies and the Director of the Institute of Research in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Reviews

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a classic work of intellectual history whose main contribution is Sorkin’s argument that the modernization of German Jews created a highly distinct Jewish subculture. This culture was distinguishable not because of its nationality or religion, but because of its extreme focus on Bildung; this focus was the result of the tension and struggle in achieving freedoms and political emancipation. The Jews loved the German Enlightenment so much that they wanted to be a part of it, but they believed that it was only possible to be successful in doing so if they underwent a massive cultural transformation and self-abnegation. In so doing, they made it impossible to actually become part of German society because they had instead become a highly distinctive subculture. Jews were blind to the shadow community that they were producing. They were experiencing German culture, but their experience was entirely different from the Christian experience of the same. They did not assimilate; they transformed into a new distinctive Jewry. His overarching point is a very subtle one, and in most of the book outside of the introduction and conclusion, the point isn’t very clear. Instead, he analyzes lots of elite and middle-brow literature, rehashing a lot of content that is familiar and overworked. But Sorkin’s point is seen to be a very revolutionary and creative one. Hence the book has been reprinted a few times.

[LaShana Claude]

Synopsis:
The transformation of German Jewry from 1780 to 1840 exemplified a twofold revolution: on one level, the end of the feudal status of Jews as an autonomous community forced them to face a protracted process of political emancipation, a far-reaching social metamorphosis, and growing racial anti-Semitism; yet, on another level, their encounter with the surrounding culture resulted in their own intense cultural productivity. In this ground-breaking study, David Sorkin argues that emancipation and encounter with German culture and society led not to assimilation but to the creation of a new Jewish identity and community--a true and vibrant subculture that produced many of Judaism's modern movements and fostered a pantheon of outstanding writers, artists, composers, scientists, and academics. He contends that German-Jewish subculture was based not, as widely believed, on nationalistic (Jewish versus German) or religious (Jewish versus Christian) disparities, but rather on the struggle for freedom and social acceptance in German society. By studying German Jewry's cultural history in its social and political context, as well as in the larger setting of German history, this study firmly asserts that the subculture both distinguished German Jewry from other European Jewish communities and accounted for its members' prominent role in Jewish and general culture.

[Marisa Natale · Rating 3 out of 5]

The scholarship of this book is really high quality. Sorkin is clearly a talented scholar with an impressive command of his sources, able to tease out the distinctions between layers of discourse, philosophy and theology from within and outside the Jewish community. This book is a difficult read; intellectual history is always challenging, but for readers who do not frequently exercise that particular muscle, this book will be quite hard. Even for someone who is interested in the topic and versed in the skills required to read this type of book, I had to really concentrate to make it through an otherwise slim and manageable novel. The readability is the reason for 3 stars instead of 4- though this book is clearly intended for a scholarly audience rather than a lay one, by the standard of similar works the prose is still difficult and makes the read less enjoyable.

[Denise DeRocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The BEST historical account of German Jewry ever written (unbiased I am not)!