A Gedenkblatt

One could already detect in Judaism in olden times two opposing intellectual directions, which were often rigorously separated from one another, but occasionally melded together, which have given the national character its form: a realistic tendency, and an idealistic one.  While those inclined toward the former know how to use their talent and keen understanding of the material world and the demands of daily life to earn themselves riches, status, and power, the latter have ever had only the single goal to live according to their ideals, for which no effort was too demanding, no sacrifice too great.  In our stormy times, stirred [as they are] by the battle against everything, in which the former have found particularly fertile ground for exploitation of their abilities, and through this have enflamed the hate of the masses, which had just barely receded into the background a bit, it is perhaps not inappropriate to revive the memory of such men who saw their future only in the battle for the civil and cultural advancement of their people, and thereby laid the legal framework without which central European Jews might not yet have fully left the Ghetto.  It might thus be permissible to lay a wreath at the grave of a man whose birthday recently returned for the hundredth time, and who, in the middle of the previous century stood in the first rank of pioneers for civil rights for Jews:  David Honigmann.  He was born 15 August 1821 in Kempen, a small city on the Prussian-Polish border, son of a simple, pious small merchant of the old type.(1)  His mother was, as indicated by the evidence of Wilhelm Goldbaum, "one of those wise old Jewesses, who always have an appropriate phrase on the tongue and maintain an astonishing vitality and wisdom into their extreme old age".  In his booklet "From a Childhood of 50 Years Ago" Honigmann describes life and activities of a small ghetto community of that time, and lets us see how he, driven to expand his horizons, was unsatisfied with "Lernen", that is Talmudic study in the Beth Ha Midrash, but took advantage of every possible opportunity to learn German, even a little French, and literature.  Chance led him to a "corner lawyer"(2)with whom he honed not only his language skills and ability to express himself fluently on paper, but also a deeper view into practical aspects of life, and a certain dexterity in giving information and advice, all of which were to benefit him later in his legal studies.  It was especially valuable to this child, desirous of an education, that his employer, who loved to read the latest books, made it possible for him to read all of the literature available in the area, especially dramatic works, and helped lay the groundwork for his future critical outlook in mutual discussions of the form and content of these works.  After some battles the youth obtained his parents' permission to study in the big city.  He graduated from the Gymnasium there, having had to support himself by tutoring, entered, having passed his examinations with honor, the University of Breslau, to devote himself to the study of philosophy and literature.  A literary essay "German Belles Lettres as Pioneers of Civil Rights for Jews", from the pen of the youthful student, already appeared in 1844 in the respected journal, Theodor Mundt's "Freihafen", arousing recognition for its content and style, and brought him into personal contact with many prominent Jewish writers, among them Berthold Auerbach, who had at that time only published his novels "Spinoza" and "Poet and Merchant", and who hadn't even dreamed of his future success yet.  Soon thereafter his very promising novel, "Jadwiga", in Weber's "Illustrierte Zeitschrift" [Illustrated Magazine"] garnered reception and encouraging recognition, and his poems were deemed worthy by Gustav Freytag of inclusion in his "Studenten Almanach" [Student Anthology].  Honigmann's literary career thus seemed off to the best possible start, when acquaintance with Abraham Geiger and his circle suddenly gave it an unexpected direction.  Geiger and his friends soon found the way to teach this talented, enthusiastic for all that was noble and beautiful, youth the conviction that, in order to free the Jews from their pariah status, the battle against the forces of the state and prejudice could be won by legal weapons, and that it was thus the duty of any Jew with the necessary talent to practice and use these weapons.  This meant a change in his major from philosophy to law, but it also meant a change from a promising career attuned to his inclinations to a totally uncertain future, inasmuch as at that time the career of lawyer, let alone judge or civil service, was not open to Jews.  Nonetheless, Honigmann did not hesitate long, but threw himself into jurisprudence with zeal and energy at the Universities of Berlin and Heidelberg, where he obtained the rank of Doctor in 1846.  He then returned to Breslau, where he next found opportunity as assistant to the City Council to exercise his through knowledge and conscientiousness, which won for him after a time the position of General Secretary of the relatively new Upper Silesian Railway Corporation.  His activities in this position soon won him a reputation as an outstanding railway administrator;  although without the slightest capital interests, he was nonetheless elected to the chief executive officer positions with the Breslau-Freiburg and the Posen-Kreuzberg Railways by their Boards of Directors on account of competence and reputation, which offices he held until [the railways] were nationalized.  At the beginning of the 70s he became Legal Director of the Silesian Union Bank, after whose liquidation he did not accept another external post, dedicating himself instead to writing and his manifold municipal activities.  He was regularly and frequently active as sensitive theatrical and literary critic as well as political commentator in the large liberal Breslau newspapers.  He had already as student in the Gymnasium tutored his fellow Landsman, the later famous leader of the National Liberal Party, Eduard Lasker, who had just like him sought a transition from Talmudic study to science; he then joined enthusiastically the political views of this friend of his youth.  The year 1848 found him in the front ranks of the freedom fighters, and he knew how to fight for the people's rights not only with his fiery words but also his wise, carefully thought out advice.  At the same time an active activity on behalf of Judaism unfolded.  A for that time rather sharp polemic "Herr Geheimrat Wohlfarth and the Jews" followed a comprehensive brochure "The Legal Rights of Prussians of Jewish Confession".  [Leipzig, Georg Wigand, 1847], which was not without influence on the 23 July 1847 Prussian law on the status of Jews.  With his unique liveliness and all fine legal points he fought for - if we're not mistaken, editorially as the first - the thesis of equal rights for Jews, which he considered not as a foreign nation, enjoying only guest rights, but as an integral part of the German people, which wanted to be considered as having a different religion.  Zionism tried to destroy this viewpoint; one cannot however forget that it was only this view which first allowed the intellectual and cultural development of modern Judaism and its tremendous successes in nearly all aspects of private and public endeavor.  In those days Reform tendencies had to fight on two fronts, not only against the conservative might of the regime, but also against the Orthodoxy of their own coreligionists.  Honigmann helped his friend Geiger in foundation of the Reform Congregation in the most outstanding way;  in particular it was he who crated the legal groundwork, he drafted their statutes, fought successfully for their recognition by the authorities, and finally was untiringly active in holding on to and expanding that which had been won in his position, held until his death, as Dayyan.  He also was one of the founders of the Union of German Jewish Communities, on whose Board of Directors he held a prominent position as legal advisor from 1869.

Alongside this developed an active, outstanding, career in the interests of the Silesian capital, his second home.  He was one of the first Jews elected to the City Council through the confidence of his fellow citizens, and he belonged to this body over a quarter century, until his death.  The extent to which his activities on behalf of the common good were recognized is demonstrated by his selection, early on, by the City Council as representative to the Provincial Landtag, in which the conservative upper mobility of Silesia was the dominant force;  certainly an especial distinction for a Jew, which he also enjoyed until his death.  It's clear that this many-sided activity left as much time for his literary inclinations, to which he'd remained true from childhood, as much as he'd have liked.  Nonetheless, he was not laggard in this sphere.  He published two historical novels:  "The Grave in Sabbioneta" and "Berel Grenadier", which were well-received and appeared in new editions even after his death [J. Brandeis Publisher, Prague], because they still captivate and educate the reader even today, in spite of the incredible changes in literary taste, with their sensitive, lively, and feeling description of Jewish life during the late Venetian Renaissance and the Seven Years' War.  Also his reminiscences, published shortly before his death, and unfortunately never completed, don't deserve to be forgotten, as they describe his relationships with countless famous people and contribute many unique items to our knowledge of their characters and the time(3).  Particularly piquant are his comments on Lassalle, whom he knew from his school days, whose ability he recognized, but without being able to sympathize with his so heterogeneous personality, and Berthold Auerbach, with whom an intimate friendship bound him until his death.  On the occasion of the 100th birthday of the great Swabian author, David Honigmann was also remembered, the literary historian M. Necker wrote an essay on him, among others, which also contains some interesting letters from Auerbach to his friend.

Early in the 80s, Honigmann, who'd never found the time, tirelessly diligent as he was, to properly tend his health, began to ail, without letting up his tireless activity, of which a quietly and unobtrusively worked, but constant philanthropy, was a part.  He bore his severe affliction with patience and without complaint until his death.  Death tore him from us 22 July 1885, much to early for his family, his friends, and members of his faith.  With him went a man, who, true to the traditions of a now long ago time, did disdained to use his rich talents, his many-sided knowledge, his wisdom, the great respect in which he was held, and his widespread contacts among the best of his contemporaries except seeking and finding his calling in working for the benefit of others, his people, his county, his fellow Jews.  His only thanks were in the satisfaction yielded by a job well done and the recognition that his talents and the undeniable purity of his character did not fail to earn.  So we can take leave of him with the words that Prof. Brann eulogized him with. "He is gone from a us, a loyal Jew, a good German, a sincere person!  May the future be granted many of his kind".