Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, initially sought acceptance within European society and even considered conversion to Christianity. His optimism faded as anti-Semitism grew, especially influenced by figures such as Viennese Mayor Karl Lueger, leading him to advocate for a Jewish state as a refuge from oppression. Herzl's manifesto, Der Judenstaat, served as a stark warning to Jews about the limitations of liberalism in ensuring their safety, marking a pivotal moment in Zionist ideology and the pursuit of a Jewish homeland in response to increasing persecution.
Zionism was not the triumphant battle cry of a victorious ethnic group, but rather a weird, crazy, desperate stab at survival made by those who foresaw their impending doom.
Herzl's influential manifesto Der Judenstaat was the 19th-century equivalent of Get Out for European Jews, a warning that well-intentioned liberalism would not save them.
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