Beiträge zu Feminismus, Antisemitismus und Nationalsozialismus im 19./20. Jahrhundert: Vol. 10.
The monograph "Trials and Tribulations on Mt Scopus" offers an introduction to the origins, work and goals of the Auguste Victoria Foundation, a German Protestant institution in Jerusalem, whose base was in Potsdam, Germany. It describes the eclectic range of visitors, guests and workers attending the Foundation and looks at members' attitudes towards local Jews and Arabs from the time of the Kaiser's visit in 1898 to the outbreak of the Second World War. The work provides insight into how these attitudes and relationships changed, especially in the 1930s when National Socialism was espoused by Germans living in British-ruled Palestine.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Cultural and Religious Variety?
a) Craftsmen and Employees on the Mount of Olives
b) The Guests of the Auguste Victoria Foundation
3. Changing Relationships
4. National Protestant Chauvinism
5. A Glimpse into the Thirties
Timetables
Purpose and Research Topics
This work examines the history of the Auguste Victoria Foundation (AVF) in Jerusalem from its inception at the turn of the 19th century until 1939, focusing on the intersection of German Protestant identity, cultural politics, and colonial interactions in Palestine.
- The historical development and construction of the AVF complex as a symbol of German Protestantism.
- The ambivalent social and labor relations between German residents, Arab populations, and Jewish communities.
- The ideological influence of German national Protestantism and cultural chauvinism on institutional decision-making.
- The political radicalization of AVF members and their involvement with the Nazi movement in Palestine during the 1930s.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
"Every enterprise and organization has its own story, generally motivated by an idea, unfulfilled needs, or a certain occasion. The story of the Auguste Victoria Foundation (= AVF) began with the German Emperor’s journey to Jerusalem at the end of the 19th century."
Wilhelm II visited Jerusalem on the occasion of the opening of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem's Old City on October 31, 1898. Two days later, the Emperor received visitors, deputations, and petitioners in his tent next to Damascus Gate. Among the many groups were members of the German Protestant community in Jerusalem. They represented the approximately 120 to 200 Germans living in Jerusalem, mainly working for different Christian welfare organizations. They approached the Emperor to request his support for the construction of a German Protestant center for relaxation and recuperation on the Mount of Olives.
It is not clear if this location was the choice of Jerusalem's German Protestants, or of the Emperor’s wife Auguste Victoria, or of William II himself, who had taken an inspiring ride on the Mount of Olives to the north where the mountain becomes the Mount Scopus. Geographically, the AVF complex is not located on the Mount of Olives, but is part of the foothills of Mount Scopus. However, German Protestants called that hilltop "Mount of Olives" since the building complex includes the Church of Ascension - according to Christian tradition the ascension took place on the Mount of Olives.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the origins of the Auguste Victoria Foundation, triggered by the German Emperor’s 1898 visit to Jerusalem and the desire for a German Protestant center.
2. Cultural and Religious Variety?: Analyzes the labor dynamics during construction and the diverse social makeup of the guesthouse guests, highlighting the complex interactions between different ethnic and religious groups.
3. Changing Relationships: Details the shifting attitudes of Palestine-Germans towards the Jewish community, influenced by Zionism, antisemitic stereotypes, and political tensions during World War I.
4. National Protestant Chauvinism: Explores how German Protestant values, combined with nationalism and cultural arrogance, shaped the institution’s ideological stance against Western civilization and Jewish influence.
5. A Glimpse into the Thirties: Investigates the decline of the AVF after the 1927 earthquake and documents the active involvement of staff and members in the local Nazi movement during the 1930s.
Timetables: Provides a concise chronological overview of the AVF's history and lists the German Protestant provosts in Jerusalem.
Keywords
Auguste Victoria Foundation, Jerusalem, German Protestantism, Wilhelm II, Mount of Olives, Palestine, Zionism, Deaconesses, National Socialism, Antisemitism, Cultural Chauvinism, British Mandate, Arab-German relations, Middle East History, Christian Welfare.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work documents the history of the Auguste Victoria Foundation (AVF) in Jerusalem, specifically analyzing how the institution served as a hub for German Protestant identity and political influence in the early 20th century.
What are the central themes of the book?
Central themes include the construction of the AVF, the social relationships between the German community and local populations (Arabs and Jews), and the shift towards nationalist and eventually National Socialist ideologies.
What is the main research question?
The study explores how German Protestants in a foreign cultural environment maintained their identity and how this specific 'national Protestant' background influenced their political perceptions of their neighbors.
Which historical research methods are utilized?
The author relies heavily on an analysis of primary archival material, including annual reports, correspondence, newsletters, and sermons from the period.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the foundation's origins, the daily operations of the guesthouse, the labor disputes during construction, the rise of nationalist sentiment, and the eventual political alignment with the Nazi party.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The work is characterized by terms like German Protestantism, Jerusalem, Palestine, AVF, National Socialism, and inter-religious social dynamics.
How did the AVF interact with local workers?
Interactions were often strained, with German managers frequently describing Arab laborers as unreliable or inefficient, reflecting deeper cultural biases despite their dependence on local labor.
Why did the AVF board refuse to sell property to Jews?
The board believed that selling the complex to non-Protestants would damage the reputation of German Protestantism and undermine the symbolic purpose of the institution as a bastion of German culture.
- Citar trabajo
- Dr. Heidemarie Wawrzyn (Autor), 2015, Trials and Tribulations on Mt Scopus: the Auguste Victoria Foundation from 1898-1939, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/301761
