Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-01-07
Blood Rises to the Surface

one c the strangest Illuminating phases of
the life aud achievements of Maxnian Harden is that
despite his origin Witkowski hc managed ride
all aDtiJcwis influence and become the feared lit
crury and poicul critic of Germany. Not TINT Harden
ever emphasized his Jewish origin early age he had
been converted to Professionalism, u, all Germany jew
aud nonJcw. knew OF Hardcns heritage. Harden suf.
for,l greut deal because Of his The Gen.
tiles recognized and hated him Jcw the Jews ,lespised
him for his apostasy-and thus he keamc u lone man.
whose ony great friend. nnpne his numerous acquant.
anccs the Iron Chancellor Bismarck
The publication Of &c" Meet MY Crne,npcrarics
at approximately the time OF the issuuncc Of Ludwig
Lcwsolns Isrue forces n comparison between the ca.
rccrs OF tho two great critics Although Leclsohn lind
not in early youth reouncc Judaism: for all practical
purposes he was lost to his II is only this late
date that he has returned to the fold Harden cpuated
his peop" at an curly datebt he is able see
the fuity of his attempt escape He andoned the
Of wtk0wski the very Obvious reason that In
Germany Jewish alone condemns one. His con-
version was Irobably merely Nominal thing Through
out his life he was made to know that Germany had not
forgotten his Jewish ancestry At the time Rattle
killed by the backgunrs Vf te Junker oyalists
rdcns name too inscribed the blacklist prom
Trent Jews who Ind 10 be exterminatcd He however,
escaped the wounds.
Harens criticism OF contemporary politics economics
and ruthless to close most of Germany's
established journals of opinion to his writings. He
finally driven found his magazine Die Zukunft.
thirty tremendous written mainly by
himself with occasional contribution by other
eminent European He enjoyed his greatest prestige in
Germany before the His Independent writings after
Germany's entrance into the made him lose caste
with the majority Of his countryMen
significant that the volume of his ma.a-
zine while ,nusns over the years Of his edcrshp and
his decades leader OF German critical opinion iie
ons his Jewlslness. He is sarlonic with himself for
vadns his destiny. He goes far to say: at
is harder for Jew to try not to bc than to live
himself by this admission he acknowledged the pur-
poselessness Of his conversion but he also made stirring
Indictment against the state Of untisenitism in Germany
The antiJewh attitude strong that with all
his Indifference toward that prejudice With all
his in the field he Ind chosen he had admit that
he had not achieved his gonl and that bgoy had frus
many his ideals Even npostasy hc refuge
OF the prosecuted. could Mnaximan Harden
from fate which must inevitably befall wkowski
in Germany.
There is nothing in any of Hardens writings idcn-
| tify him particularly Jewish except if insists on
identifying his uncreave criticism Jewish trait.
Also Harden partakes of the characteristics of the long
lire OF critics in Gernany since Bocrnes time the most
prominent OF whom and Jews. among them Max
Norda Ferdinand Iasalle Tbcoor Icinc Thcodor Wolf
and Karl Kraus.
Those who protest do not always raise their voice
against injustice those who critcisc do not always un
cover the wrong Maximau Harden could often be
placed In that category. His friendship with bismarck
Indicates that had devoted his life wholesouledy
of the people. Harden never subscribed 10
any of doctrines His views public affairs We're as
changcnbe his moods Some have likened his ineof
sistency in politics the various roles he portrayed dur
ing his the stage actor With Harden 1t
question of parties in politics: he always
aimed at personalities lie welcome among any
group, for he liable to turn agnanst 1t without
mcfnent's notice. 1t is Hardcns Independence, his dis
rog gard of ties position. which made him Germanys
most feared critic. and Of the most widely read IN
Europe His prestige however. ended almost cotermln
cnsly with the world war. Nations we're ia" intent on
II certain eoa to pay much heed to the cnrins OF id
vdtnls within: In fact states tried much as possible
TO silence the troube-makcrs
| MEETING THE FAMOUS FEUrIE
| II Meet My Contemporaries rs collection of essays
on some of the leaders in Europcs and Amcrcns enturc
and politics. among them being Wilson. Lloyd ''corse
Clencncau Sarah Bernlurdi, lGnn. II Is Difficult 10
understand why this particular voihpr published In
the first place il is evident that the IN This coIec
tion ra:mennry aud taken hnpI'azhrr from the
several volumes his contemporaries which Harden 's
published In the Gcrmnn "KOptc" Secondly II II
doubtful IL Harden Is worthy Of publication la book form
In all his writings he always sacrificed content Tor Term
I .I, hts