Abstract
AbstractOf Jewish origin, Jakob Wassermann (1873-1934) has been labelled a nationalist and reactionary author, even a precursor of fascism. The opposite is the case. Wassermann and Nietzsche have three crucial ideas in common: First, both thinkers off er a thoroughly positive assessment of ‘the Orient’. Second, both believed that the European Jews had the potential to overcome rigid, outdated moral structures and establish a more humane society. Nietzsche held that the Jews managed to preserve the classical heritage of Ancient Greece more authentically than Christian cultures. Finally, Wassermann conceived of the ‘Orientale’, a charismatic leader figure of Jewish origin, - heavily influenced by Nietzsche’s ‘Übermensch’ - who would overcome anti-Semitism, and eventually reconcile the German and Jewish cultures. Both figures are essentially aesthetic answers to very real social and cultural problems. When it comes to the dilemma of German-speaking Jews, it appears that Wassermann and Nietzsche not only had a general outlook, but also certain philosophical aspects in common.
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