Theodor Herzl: Biography, Ideas

Theodore Herzl is a writer, journalist, founder of political Zionism. His name is the main symbol of modern Israel, as well as the entire Jewish history. Theodore created the World Zionist Organization. His name includes many boulevards and streets in Israeli cities. This article will describe a short biography of the writer.

Childhood

Theodor Herzl was born in Budapest in 1860. The boy grew up in an assimilated family that was not alien to Jewish traditions. Especially since Theodore's grandfather was a Jew and studied with Rabbi Alcalai Yehuda. The mother and father of the boy especially observed Jewish customs. Although the young Herzl passed the "bar mitzvah" ceremony and circumcision, his commitment to Judaism was rather superficial. He did not know the language, nor the elementary customs of Israel.

Learning

Theodore Herzl loved to read literature and write poetry from a young age. While studying at the gymnasium, the boy published his reviews of plays and books in one Budapest newspaper. Soon Teodor left the gymnasium, offended by the anti-Semitic explanations of the teacher.

In 1878 the Herzlay family moved to Vienna, where the young man entered the university for a law department. Six years later, Theodore received his doctorate and worked for some time in the courts of Salzburg and in the Austrian capital. But soon the future writer started with jurisprudence.

Literary and journalistic activities

Since 1885, Theodore Herzl, whose quotes are still used by many Israelis, dealt exclusively with writing. He composed a number of philosophical stories and plays. In the early 1890s, the young man earned a reputation as a brilliant journalist in Europe. The strength of Theodore was short essays and satirical articles. At that time, the only Jewish topic he touched on was anti-Semitism. Nevertheless, he defended in Europe a number of famous people of this nationality who accepted Catholicism. Herzl hoped that this would push other Jews to mass circulation and lead to the end of anti-Semitism. But then he came to the conclusion that such "euthanasia" has no moral or practical meaning.

The Dreyfus Affair

Soon Herzl, whose life story is known to any Jew, became an adherent of Zionism. The cause of this was the case of Alfred Dreyfus. The latter was publicly subjected to the rite of "civil execution": they tore the orders from their uniform and broke their sword. Theodore attended this ceremony and was amazed at the cries of the French crowd. She called to kill Dreyfus.

The Jewish State

The reconstruction of the Jewish state - this is precisely the thought that lit up Herzl. The writer's ideas demanded support. And he went to look for him from the Baron de Hirsch and the Rothschilds - the richest Jews of the planet. However, this was a useless undertaking. But Theodore did not abandon his idea and wrote a pamphlet called "The Jewish State" containing 63 pages. There, he explained in detail why it can be created, and told how to do it.

The development of Zionism

Between the humiliation of Dreyfus and the death of the writer passed about ten years. During this period, Theodore managed to found all the main structures of the Zionist movement. In 1897, the first congress of this community was held in Basel. Every year the number of its members increased exponentially. Jews saw in Zionism a real political movement capable of solving their problems.

During the first year of his career, Theodore tried to enlist the support of the Turkish sultan (Eretz Israel was under his rule). But the long negotiations were not crowned with success. After this, Herzl decided to pay attention to the more far-sighted England. In 1917, when Theodora was already 13 years old, this country literally wrested control of Eretz Israel from the hands of Turkey. And then England issued a declaration of Balfour, which supported the idea of creating a Jewish state on this Israeli land.

Theodor Herzl about Russia

The hero of this article visited our country in 1903. In all Jewish places, Theodora was greeted like a messiah. Herzl also met with Russian officials and tried to convince them to put pressure on the sultan, so that the contractual company of the writer in Palestine was crowned with success. Herzl made the greatest impression on Plehve (Minister of Foreign Affairs). Perhaps the most famous statement of Theodore about our country is: "To conquer the world, you need to conquer Russia." Here are some more popular quotes: "Money is a good and pleasant thing, only people spoil it", "The rich can make you famous; But only the poor can make you a hero "," The nation is a historical community of people, which unites the presence of a common enemy. "

Personal life

Herzl and his family had to pay a very high price for their hobby for Zionism. In 1889, Theodore married Julia Nassauer. But, being a man obsessed, he paid very little attention to her. In the family of his wife were people with mental illness. This affected the fate of the children of Theodore. Paulina (the eldest daughter) has died because of the use of drugs. Son Hans committed suicide the day of his sister's funeral. The youngest daughter of Labor spent most of her life in hospitals, and finished it in one of the Nazi concentration camps. But she managed to give birth to a son. In 1946, Herzl's only grandson committed suicide. Thus, the writer does not have heirs.

Disease

In addition to the intense struggle for Zionism, Theodor Herzl, whose biography was presented above, participated in fierce verbal battles with opponents. This led to an exacerbation of his heart disease. The situation was complicated by pneumonia. Soon the writer's condition worsened, and he died in July 1904 in Edlach (Austria).

The funeral

In the will, Theodor Herzl asked to be buried next to his father in Vienna. And as soon as the Jewish people have an opportunity, let them transfer his body to the Israeli land. The remains of Theodora were transported only in August 1949. Now the ashes of the writer rest in Jerusalem on Mount Herzl. The day of death of the founder of Zionism is celebrated on the 20th day of the month by the Tammuz.