Incipit definition of L Baeck as assimilated Jew The statement Baeck represented the modern assimilated Central European Jew is misleading Baeck undisputed moral and political leader of the German Jewry in Nazi Germany and president of the Reichsvertretung der deutschen Juden Reich s Deputation of the German Jews can not be labeled as an assimilated jew From a sociological point of view an authoritative definition that resumes the current research stand on the phenomenon of assimilation can be founded in J Milton Yinger Toward a Theory of Assimilation and Dissimilation In Ethnic and Racial Studies Volume 4 Number 3 July 1981 p 249 264 already quoted in the german speaking Wikipedia article about assimilation 16 09 2012 Here a quote from Yinger 1981 p 249 Assimilation is a process of boundary reduction that can occur when members of two or more societies or of smaller cultural groups meet Seen as a complete process it is the blending into one of formerly distinguishable socio cultural groups In the Jewish Virtual Library assimilation is described with relation to jewish modern history as the sociocultural process in which the sense and consciousness of association with one national and cultural group changes to identification with another such group so that the merged individual or group may partially or totally lose its original national identity 16 09 2012 The definition of Baeck as an assimilated Jew represents a misunderstanding of his commitment to liberalism and integration and as such should be removed