The subject appeared so vast and the study of it so endless that, tortured by the fear of doing an injustice, I again became anxious and unsure of myself.
I could not well continue to doubt that here it was a matter not of Germans of another religion, but of a separate nation ; for as soon as I began to study the question and take notice of the Jews, Vienna appeared to me in another light. Now, wherever I went, 1 saw Jews, and the more I saw, the more strikingly and obviously were they different from other people. The inner city and the parts North of the Danube Canal especially swarmed with a population which bore no similarity with the Germans.
But though I might still have doubts, my hesitations were dispelled by the attitude of a section of the Jews themselves.
A great Movement arose amongst them, which was widely represented in Vienna, in strong favour of asserting the national character of Judaism ; this was Zionism.
It certainly looked as if only a section of the Jews would approve of this attitude, and that a large majority would condemn, in fact, frankly reject, the principle. On nearer observation, however, this appearance resolved itself into an evil mist of theories, produced purely for reasons of expedience—lies, in fact. For the so-called Liberal Jew disowned the Zionists not as being non-Jews, but simply as Jews of a creed which was unpractical, nay, perhaps, even dangerous, for their own Judaism.
But there was no alteration in their internal solidarity.
The seeming discord between the Zionists and Liberal Jews quickly sickened me ; it seemed ungenuine through and through and all a lie ; and, moreover, unworthy of the ever-vaunted moral elevation and purity of that nation.