Dos Abend Blatt
Encyclopedia
Dos Abend Blatt was a Yiddish language daily newspaper published in New York City
, United States
. Dos Abend Blatt was launched as an outgrowth of the weekly Di Arbeter Tsaytung (Workman's Paper). Published between 1894 and 1902, it was an organ of the Socialist Labor Party of America
(SLP).
Dos Abend Blatt was the first socialist
Yiddish daily to appear in New York. During its early phase, Dos Abend Blatt rivaled the readership of the anarchist
Freie Arbeiter Stimme
and, later, the bourgeois-orthodox Yiddisher Tagesblatt. The newspaper was sponsored by the United Hebrew Trades
.
Politically, Dos Abend Blatt argued in favour of an internationalist
line, denouncing national chauvinism, labor nationalism and Zionism
. It called on Jewish workers to unite along class lines, rather than building an identity around their language and/or religion (Yiddishkeit
). Regarding antisemitism, Dos Abend Blatt argued that the problem had economic roots and thus Jewish nationalism was not an adequate answer. However, the news section of the paper carried frequent reports on antisemitism and pogrom
s around the world.
In 1897 a split erupted amongst the Jewish cadres of the SLP. A dissident minority group was expelled in June 1897. The majority group, represented by Philip Krantz, Benjamin Feygenbaum, Jacob Milch and Joseph Schlossberg, retained control over Dos Abend Blatt. The dissidents founded a new Yiddish socialist newspaper, Forverts
. Competition between Forverts and Dos Abend Blatt became fierce, a contest which Dos Abend Blatt would eventually lose. Two political issues, in which Forverts adopted a far more pragmatic approach in appealing to Jewish communal sentiments, proved decisive in the competition; the Dreyfus affair
and the Spanish–American War.
Regarding the Dreyfus affair, Dos Abend Blatt found itself at loggerheads with large sectors of the Jewish community. The editor of the paper, Philip Krantz, questioned the innocence of Dreyfus
. This position would prove largely unpopular amongst the Yiddish-speaking community.
At the time of the Cuba war, Dos Abend Blatt was one of the first newspapers to voice opposing to the policies of the American government. The paper, through the editorials of Krantz and Benjamin Feygenbaum, opposed the nationalist fervour that the war aroused, and argued that the war was carried out for the benefit of the dominant classes, that Cuba would not be liberated but put under American rule and that the working class was suffering the losses at the battlefield. The paper argued against the discourse that Spain
was an eternal enemy of the Jewish people.
In July 1899 the SLP split into two. Those loyal to Daniel De Leon
retained control over Dos Abend Blatt, but several prominent members (such as Krantz and Feygenbaum) had joined the other camp and subsequently left the paper.
By 1900, there was an attempt to popularize Dos Abend Blatt amongst the Jewish community, through introduction of 'Jewish News' and 'Jewish Letters' (from abroad) sections. However, this shift in editorial policy gave little benefit, as Forverts had already won over major sections of readership by consistently appealing to the notion of Yiddishkeit.
Dos Abend Blatt and Di Arbeter Tsaytung both terminated publication in 1902.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Dos Abend Blatt was launched as an outgrowth of the weekly Di Arbeter Tsaytung (Workman's Paper). Published between 1894 and 1902, it was an organ of the Socialist Labor Party of America
Socialist Labor Party of America
The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has...
(SLP).
Dos Abend Blatt was the first socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
Yiddish daily to appear in New York. During its early phase, Dos Abend Blatt rivaled the readership of the anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
Freie Arbeiter Stimme
Freie Arbeiter Stimme
The Freie Arbeiter Stimme was the longest-running anarchist periodical in the Yiddish language, founded initially as an American counterpart to Rudolf Rocker's London-based Arbeter Fraynd . The early Yiddish spelling, פֿרייע אַרבייטער שטיממע , reflects the early 20th century fashion to Germanize...
and, later, the bourgeois-orthodox Yiddisher Tagesblatt. The newspaper was sponsored by the United Hebrew Trades
United Hebrew Trades
United Hebrew Trades was an association of Jewish labor unions in New York.It was founded by the Socialist Labor Party's Yiddish Branch 8 and Russian Branch 17 together with Jewish unions in in New York in October 1888. Among the founding members were Morris Hillquit and Bernard Weinstein...
.
Politically, Dos Abend Blatt argued in favour of an internationalist
Internationalism (politics)
Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation among nations for the theoretical benefit of all...
line, denouncing national chauvinism, labor nationalism and Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
. It called on Jewish workers to unite along class lines, rather than building an identity around their language and/or religion (Yiddishkeit
Yiddishkeit
Yiddishkeit literally means "Jewishness", i.e. "a Jewish way of life", in the Yiddish language. It can refer to Judaism or forms of Orthodox Judaism when used by religious or Orthodox Jews...
). Regarding antisemitism, Dos Abend Blatt argued that the problem had economic roots and thus Jewish nationalism was not an adequate answer. However, the news section of the paper carried frequent reports on antisemitism and pogrom
Pogrom
A pogrom is a form of violent riot, a mob attack directed against a minority group, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres...
s around the world.
In 1897 a split erupted amongst the Jewish cadres of the SLP. A dissident minority group was expelled in June 1897. The majority group, represented by Philip Krantz, Benjamin Feygenbaum, Jacob Milch and Joseph Schlossberg, retained control over Dos Abend Blatt. The dissidents founded a new Yiddish socialist newspaper, Forverts
The Forward
The Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
. Competition between Forverts and Dos Abend Blatt became fierce, a contest which Dos Abend Blatt would eventually lose. Two political issues, in which Forverts adopted a far more pragmatic approach in appealing to Jewish communal sentiments, proved decisive in the competition; the Dreyfus affair
Dreyfus Affair
The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent...
and the Spanish–American War.
Regarding the Dreyfus affair, Dos Abend Blatt found itself at loggerheads with large sectors of the Jewish community. The editor of the paper, Philip Krantz, questioned the innocence of Dreyfus
Alfred Dreyfus
Alfred Dreyfus was a French artillery officer of Jewish background whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason became one of the most tense political dramas in modern French and European history...
. This position would prove largely unpopular amongst the Yiddish-speaking community.
At the time of the Cuba war, Dos Abend Blatt was one of the first newspapers to voice opposing to the policies of the American government. The paper, through the editorials of Krantz and Benjamin Feygenbaum, opposed the nationalist fervour that the war aroused, and argued that the war was carried out for the benefit of the dominant classes, that Cuba would not be liberated but put under American rule and that the working class was suffering the losses at the battlefield. The paper argued against the discourse that Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
was an eternal enemy of the Jewish people.
In July 1899 the SLP split into two. Those loyal to Daniel De Leon
Daniel De Leon
Daniel DeLeon was an American socialist newspaper editor, politician, Marxist theoretician, and trade union organizer. He is regarded as the forefather of the idea of revolutionary industrial unionism and was the leading figure in the Socialist Labor Party of America from 1890 until the time of...
retained control over Dos Abend Blatt, but several prominent members (such as Krantz and Feygenbaum) had joined the other camp and subsequently left the paper.
By 1900, there was an attempt to popularize Dos Abend Blatt amongst the Jewish community, through introduction of 'Jewish News' and 'Jewish Letters' (from abroad) sections. However, this shift in editorial policy gave little benefit, as Forverts had already won over major sections of readership by consistently appealing to the notion of Yiddishkeit.
Dos Abend Blatt and Di Arbeter Tsaytung both terminated publication in 1902.