Just decades after intense persecution and the struggle for recognition that marked the second half of the 19th century, Jewish leaders and ordinary Jews found themselves at an unprecedented social and political crossroads. The frenzied military, social, and cultural mobilisation of European societies from 1914 onwards, along with the outbreak of revolution in Russia and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East had a profound impact on Jewish communities worldwide.

One of the most fascinating findings to emerge from seeing the Great War as a turning point in Jewish history is the question of Jewish loyalties. The nature of Jewish allegiance was not only questioned from the outside, but was an omnipresent problem for Jewish individuals, families and communities that struggled to reconcile what appeared to be divided loyalties. At the end of the war these dilemmas continued to trouble Jews in Europe and elsewhere. Self-determination was now perceived to be a guiding principle for redrawing European and world maps - providing new hope for a more "just" world order and an enduring peace. This intensified the struggle over Jewish self-definition in a rapidly changing world. The interbellum saw the emergence of right-wing nationalist movements and new violence born out of political reshuffling and economic turmoil. The emergence of the Jewish polity in Mandatory Palestine and the complete reconfiguration of the map of Eastern Europe radically transformed Jewish lives. As fighting raged for many years in the successor states, Jews often found themselves caught between the lines with their allegiances challenged and redefined in terms of religion, ethnicity, nationality and modern citizenship.

The aim of this conference is to explore the multifaceted question of Jewish loyalties. Starting from the Dreyfus affair, the organisers seek papers that consider the degree to which individual Jews and Jewish communities in Europe, the US and elsewhere engaged with the question of loyalty before, during and after the First World War, in a broad interdisciplinary and transnational context. Papers showing comparative elements in analysing questions of loyalty confronted by other national, religious or ethnic groups are particularly welcome. In bringing together junior and established scholars from a range of different disciplines, the conference aims to provide the setting for in-depth discussion on the place and multifaceted meanings of a crucial question for modern societies that will significantly improve our understanding of the Jewish experience in modern times.

The organisers invite proposals for 20-minute papers that engage with these and related themes. Abstracts should be no more than 200 words and be submitted alongside a brief biography (including professional affiliation and contact details) to Gideon Reuveni (g.reuveni@sussex.ac.uk) and Kim Wünschmann (K.Wuenschmann@sussex.ac.uk).

Successful candidates will be notified by the end of March 2016.

Limited budget might be available to support travel expenses, but participants will be encouraged to cover travel costs with their own funds.

Conference organised by:  The Centre for German-Jewish Studies (University of Sussex) | The Centre for Research on Antisemitism (TU Berlin) | The Institute for the History of the German Jews, Hamburg | The Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism (University of London) |  Jewish Museum Berlin

Conference Venue:  Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Lindenstraße 9-14, 10969 Berlin

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Contact:

Dr. Kim Wünschmann

DAAD Lecturer in Modern European History

Centre for German-Jewish Studies

University of Sussex

K.Wuenschmann@sussex.ac.uk