Germany, Turkey, Zionism, 1897-1918

[CrackSmokeRepublican]

Germany, Turkey, Zionism, 1897-1918
By Isaiah Friedman

5.0 out of 5 stars Herzl, Germany and Zionism,1897-1918, May 16, 2000
By    mailto:catnet@actcom.co.il">catnet@actcom.co.il (Mabuim, Israel) - See all my reviews
Germany, Turkey, Zionism, 1897-1918, by Isaiah Friedman, is an extremely readable history of the Zionist movement -- its earliest beginnings and its efforts to establish Jewish settlements in Palestine. Written for scholars, it is packed full of extensive and definitive documentary references and direct quotations. All sources are meticulously produced so that the historian can refer to primary documents, both published and unpublished. I am not, however, a scholar, but simply someone who is interested in this period of Middle Eastern history. My primary focus is on the readability and the "story," as well as the integrity of the information. Prof. Friedman's book provides all three aspects. In addition to a very accessible rendering of the more known historical facts, Prof. Friedman's book also provides a great deal of new and and previously unpublished information about the efforts of Herzl to maneuver the European powers into supporting Zionist settlements in Palestine as a "solution to the problem of anti-Semitism" in Europe. Following these surprising revelations is the fact that it was Germany, of all the nations of the world, that most strongly supported Zionist settlement in Palestine and represented the Zionist views to the Turkish government. The ins and outs of the negotiations and behind-the-scenes maneuvers and personal justifications of the political figures of the day make this book a fascinating read for anyone who appreciates the happy combination of attention to detail and an excellent tale -- all the better because it is historical fact. Germany, Turkey, Zionism, 1897-1918 has recently been reissued by Transaction, and has a new introduction by the author. I loved the book and recommend it to anyone who is interested in the history of the complicated events that continue to evolve in modern-day Israel and the adjacent areas that made up Palestine under the Ottomans.