Colonialism, antisemitism, and Germans of Jewish descent in Imperial Germany, 1884--1912.

This work examines the connections between Imperial Germany's antisemitic and colonial movements from 1884 to 1912. It details the involvement with and investment in colonialism by Germany's major antisemitic political parties and explores the contributions of antisemitic ideologues and politicians to the creation and maintenance of Germany's overseas colonial states. I argue that the colonial era witnessed a subtle harnessing of the colonial project to the antisemitic cause. This occurred in three ways: through the deliberate merging of representations of Jews and black Africans by German antisemites, who rhetorically conflated the two in their newspapers, magazines, and other publications; through the cooption of public discussions of black Africans involving issues of race-mixing and citizenship rights by antisemitic politicians in the Reichstag, who advanced colonizing discourses that closely approximated racial antisemitism; and through the actions of antisemitic colonial explorers and enthusiasts like Carl Peters and Frieda von Bulow, who realized in the colonies their violent fantasies of racial domination. German antisemites influenced the colonial project, and colonialism provided antisemites with examples of, and opportunities for, racial subjugation.In addition, this dissertation examines the participation in German colonialism of men of Jewish descent and their relationships with pro-colonial, antisemitic forces. It focuses on Colonial Director Paul Kayser and State Secretary Bernhard Dernburg, individuals who suffered the barbs of antisemitism because of their Jewish heritage, but, nevertheless, headed the colonial administration in Berlin from 1890 to 1896 and 1906 to 1910, respectively. Their terms in office coincided with the high points in the political influence and parliamentary representation of the antisemitic political parties; as a result, both men united with pro-colonial antisemites against anti-colonial forces on the political left and center, where, ironically, the sharpest critics of antisemitism were found. Their participation in colonialism divided the antisemitic movement, forcing some to ponder the degree to which the proper ideological orientation might counteract a person's Jewish ancestry. Although their involvement in colonialism furnished them with strong patriotic credentials, it could not shield Kayser and Dernburg from antisemitism completely, failing, therefore, to solve the problems of assimilation.This study illuminates the complex relationship between German colonialism and antisemitism during the Kaiserreich era.Thesis (Ph.D.)--Rutgers The State University of New Jersey - New Brunswick, 2005.School code: 0190