Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-10-21
A Romantic Heine
BY MARTIN GOLDE (S. A.
(The Sardone Smile. by Ludwig Diehl. Translation by
Louise Collier Wilcox. Houghton. MH1in Coz

Those who think of Heinrich Hene, one Of Ger.
manys foremost poets, only converted jew whose
relations to his slight, and then dis
agreeable, have forgotten or have known Of
Heine's greatest pieces Of writing: "The Rabbi of
Baeharach." 1t would that Ludwig Diehl, the
author of "The Sardonic Smile" is uninterested In
Heines great Apologize for Judaism in which he defends
a faith and people powerfully, ntelgently
and beautifully than the greatest of Hebrew poets
who have remained within the fold
Tri-part Career
There three phases in the life Of Henc which,
conveniently, the author has classified folows G)
Harry-the which Hene received at birth, under
which he studied in and expelled from sundry Ger
universities, and which he bore to the baptismal
font; icy Henry-durng which time he went to Paris,
secured freedom only to sink into the bourgeois lived
with Matilda and finally married her, and (3) Heinrich
the end of his days, when his blind eyes lighted
with the vision when he returned to himself and
his best work.
Hene the Jew
Ludwig Dieh has, to some extent, grasped the fun
damenta conflict in Heines life which served embit
ter all his days. but which was, doubt, responsible
for of his finest writing. This clash between
himself Jew and himself German. 1t is
struggle that has been faced by German Jews since
the Emancipation in 1916 Even in recent times Walter
Rahenau found difficulty in solving the problem of his
dual personality his loyalty to his race, and his loyalty
to his country. In Heines time the situation
more difficult.
Harry found himself asking the question: "But
whom should q jew server" when his schoolmatss
spoke of service to ones country and loyalty to
tional cause.
Promise to Germany
Dietrich, the atypical German, replies: "H your
people that is now without roots should arise in
future for the future great land of Germany and
should united regiment do heroic deed you
would be looked differently. Then YOU would be
blood of our blood for blood grows out Of blood and
nothing untes like sacrifice. Then you could remain
Jews, just Prussians or Swabians, and yet
you would be, are Germans. Then you would
feel that you had possession"
The blond youth eager and enthusiastic when
he gave this promise, which just much chal-
lense to Hene; but wonder how eager the present
day German is to make the same promise.
Offensive Reading?
There is doubt that first reading of THE
Sardonic Smile will offend the average jew but refec
ton and rereading will soften the resentment against
Diehl who has contrived paint the Jewish people in
the image of its aboriginal God the Jehovah, whom
Biblical critics adjecvize ruthless, cruel unbendng
and merciless. The Jews of the German ghetto, who
had not yet off the petness brought about by long
confnA0nt, We're the element from which Henc sprung.
His Uncle Solomon interested in money, but he
goodheared surely type often to be found among his
people Deh has only side of the coin, how
He has entirely forgotten that there Moses
Mendelsohn, Karl Marx, Ferdinand Lasalle, and
even Boerne.
Historic Vagab0nd
Heine among the great vagabonds of history.
Diehl has emphasized the darkness In Heines fe the
poverty in his home the Indifference and the distrust of
the world about him. Uncle Solomon his great
benefactor sending him from university to university
giving him money often for vacations rccuperate
from the inroads made upon him by astfaling health
But Henes ambition did not lie in the direction of his
Unces banking house. though he did conduct business
quite successfully for time. r'f
Heines Christianity
1t really only accident that brought Heine
to baptism His uncle, his people, the world about him
made him feel that he must adopt profession The
law the only thing he could think Of And since ne
could not practice law except Christian, baptism
inevitable. Hene interested in any creed
way the other. ITO remain Jew seemed 70 him
useless petlarity and wifu setting himself apart
from people in general He was, as he thought an
atheist and hated all positive regions His stepping
into Christianity casual affair, something that
really deserves comment He wanted the restriction
of Christianity least binding therefore he chose the
--z.x===r