"Wehrt euch!"

The establishment and activities of the "Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith, Central Verein, CV" led to a fundamental change in German Jewry in the early 90's of the nineteenth century: a transition from the passive behavior towards the environment, to what has been called by some scholars- proud "Jewish activism". Before this period most Jews were indifferent to Antisemitism, or were afraid to deal with it, while the CV initiated an active response - Resistance - against it. Some claim that the struggle against the external factors resulted in internal changes among German Jewry: the rediscovery of Judaism. The attempt to justify Judaism to its attackers drove Jewish activists to learn more about Judaism, and find out the positive contained in it. This active response against Antisemitism brought assimilation among Germans to a halt. Other researchers disagree with this position, and see the CV as a continuation of the trend of assimilation; but they also agreed that the reaction to the hostility of the German environment following the establishment and activities of the organization did account for an important change in the history of German Jewry.

CV and its professed ideology have been discussed at different levels of expansion and quality in many modern studies. This booklet is designed to focus on the organization during its founding, in the early years of operation - a period that received little study and attention, and is covered mainly by archival sources. This period is of great importance for understanding the organization, its founders' motives and the goals attributed to it.