National Humanism, Zionist Liberalism, and Democracy in the Philosophy of Felix Weltsch

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985921%3A_____%2F25%3A00618526" target="_blank" >RIV/67985921:_____/25:00618526 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/leobaeck/ybaf002" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1093/leobaeck/ybaf002</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/leobaeck/ybaf002" target="_blank" >10.1093/leobaeck/ybaf002</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

National Humanism, Zionist Liberalism, and Democracy in the Philosophy of Felix Weltsch

Original language description

This article reassesses the interwar political thought of Felix Weltsch (1884–1964), philosopher, journalist, and key figure of the Prague German-Jewish intellectual scene. Despite his close association with Franz Kafka, Weltsch’s philosophical writings have been largely overlooked by scholars of philosophy and intellectual history. Through an analysis of his major works, including Das Wagnis der Mitte, this article explores Weltsch’s evolution from naive democratic idealism to a nuanced understanding of the challenges of democracy in the face of growing fascism and socialism. It examines Weltsch’s concept of ‘national humanism’, developed with Max Brod, as an attempt to reconcile nationalism with universal values, and to advocate a cosmopolitan and ethical vision. The article traces Weltsch’s response to the threats of National Socialism, socialist critiques of democracy, and biological racism, and reveals his commitment to a centrist position that embraced critique while upholding liberal values. Drawing on archival research and a close reading of Weltsch’s texts, this article illuminates the dilemmas faced by young Jews in interwar Czechoslovakia and explores themes of identity, democracy, and the meaning of liberalism in a time of extremes. By reassessing Weltsch’s contributions, this article offers insights into the complexity of interwar Jewish political thought and suggests its relevance to contemporary debates.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_ost - Miscellaneous article in a specialist periodical

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

60101 - History (history of science and technology to be 6.3, history of specific sciences to be under the respective headings)

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA21-24776S" target="_blank" >GA21-24776S: Felix Weltsch, Jindřich Kohn, and the Intellectual History of Interwar Czechoslovakia</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Leo Baeck Institute Year Book

ISSN

0075-8744

e-ISSN

1758-437X

Volume of the periodical

70

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

18

Pages from-to

23-40

UT code for WoS article

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EID of the result in the Scopus database

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