DONATION CARD FOR THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN CITIZENS OF JEWISH FAITH

DONATION CARD FOR THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN CITIZENS OF JEWISH FAITH
Very rare solicitation for support by the "Centralverein deutscher Staatsbuerger juedischen Glaubens" ("C.V.", in English: "Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith"). It was founded in Berlin by Jewish intellectuals on in 1893 and by 1926 had 60,000 members. The CV's aim was to unify German citizens of Jewish faith, to fight for the Jews' rights as citizens and to combat rising anti-Semitism. Commitment to the German nation was an important part of the CV's agenda - the members saw themselves primarily as German citizens with their own religion. Consequently, the CV repudiated Zionism. The 5 x 8.5 card with detachable return postcard urges the prospective member: "...We are fighting...against the election of anti-Semitic deputies...against the exclusion of Jewish employees...against the baptism [of Jews] supported by the state...against the abuse by lying press articles...Weapons of war are: enlightenment, defense, self-defense!..." During the Nazi era, the CV was forced to change its name several times. From 1936 onwards it was called "Juedischer Central Verein" (Jewish Central Association). After Kristallnacht, the CV had to stop publishing its newspaper and the association was banned a short time later.