The Reichsbund jüdischer Frontsoldaten (Reich Federation of Jewish Front Soldiers, RJF) was founded in Germany, February 1919, by Leo Löwenstein. Its purpose was opposition to the renewed spread of antisemitic thought which began at that time; one of the standard antisemitic arguments was that Jews were supposedly disloyal to the countries they lived in. German antisemites in particularly claimed that the Jews had stabbed Germany in the back (Dolchstosslegende) in 1918.

Against this, the Reichsbund always emphasized 85,000 Jewish soldiers had fought for the German Empire

German Empire

The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...

 in World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, and 12,000 had died, which put their loyalty to Germany beyond any reasonable doubt. They had received 30,000 medals and awards during the war. At its high point the Reichsbund had about 55,000 members.

The Reichsbund always was in opposition to 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...

 and regarded the German Reich as the mother country of all German Jews.

All activities of the Reichsbund were outlawed by the Nazi government in 1936, and in 1938 it was completely dissolved.

Quotation

Literature

• Ulrich Dunker: Der Reichsbund jüdischer Frontsoldaten 1919 -1938. Geschichte eines jüdischen Abwehrvereins. Droste, Düsseldorf 1977 ISBN 3770004795
• Hans-Christian Kokalj: "Kampf um die Erinnerung". Jüdische Frontkämpfer des Ersten Weltkriegs und ihr Widerstand gegen die rechtspopulistische Propaganda in der Weimarer Republik., in: Tobias Arand (Hg.), Die "Urkatastrophe" als Erinnerung. Geschichtskultur des Ersten Weltkriegs, Münster 2006, S. 81-98 ISBN 3-934064-67-1
• English notes on Heroische Gestalten Jüdischen Stammes (Erwin Löwe, Berlin 1937)