[Cz-L] austrian or romanian

 Re: Austrian-Romanian: Since this discussion continues, I thought to
add something of my perceptions on this matter, founded on the reality
of being a Jew, a matter, which does not seem to have been the main
concern of the writings addressed to Jews, the readers of this
website. I will consider it from the perspective of being a Jew and
the question of his association with another nation, Austrian,
Romanian, British or American.

At one of my visits in Germany some 30 years ago I was asked by a
young German, in a non provocative manner, what are the Jews, a
distinct religion or a distinct people. I told him that a Jew is both,
but in a limited way. He is a Jew by religion and nation, but can
assume also a second nationhood in different stages, when his status
in a national state allows and encourages it. We observe today that in
a climate of a reduced nationality, like in Western Europe, a Jew can
feel himself to be a member of the nation in whose midst he lives.
When Jews felt to be accepted as equals, they went to the farthest,
and considered themselves Germans of Jewish faith, like others of
Protestant or Catholic faith. I have read somewhere that when the
Austria-Hungarian Government wanted to classify the Jews of Bukovina
as of Jewish nationality, the Czernowitz Jewry protested and claimed
to be Austrians of Jewish faith. I also know from what I heard from
older generations that the Jewish youth of Czernowitz were ardent
Austrian patriots and some volunteered to the army at the outbreak of
the war in 1914. They felt Austrian or great sympathizers of Austria,
but this was not the case when they became Romanian, because of the
drastically changed circumstances. They longed for the “alte gute
Zeiten” and that referred to the conditions before 1918. I did not
never feel Romanian, I was solely and exclusively a Jew, though I
spoke German and took private lessons at home to master the language
and gain knowledge of its literature and culture. I could feel as
belonging to the circle of German culture, but not a member of the
Austrian or German nation. The circle of our family, and I believe, it
was identical with other Czernowitzer Jews was not a part of the
German community in Czernowitz.
In conclusion, a Jew learned, during his long life in the Diaspora to
maintain two nationalities; I believe that the Jews in Muslim Spain
felt themselves this way. I think this issue of double nationality,
distinct from the modern concept of dual citizenship, is always an
important and relevant issue, and a discussion about it could be
interesting and rewarding.
Paul
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Received on 2010-03-11 08:50:22