Dr. Johann Nicolai (Potsdam): Jewish Freemasons or Welfare Organization? The Independent Order B’nai B’rith in the First Czechoslovak Republic (1919 – 1939)

Vortrag

Di. 14.05.2024 | 17:00 Uhr
Prag

Wir laden herzlich zum öffentlichen Vortrag in unsere Außenstelle Prag ein.

Der Eintritt ist frei.

The German Historical Institute Warsaw, Collegium Carolinum, and the Leibniz-Institute for History and Culture in Eastern Europe in collaboration with the Historický ústav AV ČR, v. v. i. cordially invite you to the lecture "Jewish Freemasons or Welfare Organization? The Independent Order B’nai B’rith in the First Czechoslovak Republic (1919 – 1939)" by Dr. Johann Nicolai (Potsdam).

Tuesday, May 14 2024, 5 p.m.
Valentinská 91/1, 3rd Floor

The lecture will be streamed via Zoom as well, please contact florian.ruttner@collegium-carolinum.de

The lecture will investigate the history and activities of the Independent Order B’nai B’rith (I.O.B.B.) in Czechoslovakia during the period of 1919 to 1939. The I.O.B.B., originally founded in New York City in 1843, expanded its presence into Central Europe, particularly in Germany (1882), subsequently in the Habsburg Empire (1894), and its successor states. Focusing on the unique development of the I.O.B.B. in the Czechoslovakian context, this study explores the organization's role as a Jewish fraternal order and its interactions with local communities amidst the socio-political challenges of the interwar period. The I.O.B.B.'s distinct identity contrast with both conventional Freemasonry and the Zionist movement, particularly due to the order’s public highlighting of its humanitarian activities, including assistance to Jewish immigrants to North America. Special attention is given to the I.O.B.B.'s establishment in Central Europe, focusing on its development in Czechoslovakia as a particularly key country in this regard.

Dr. Johann Nicolai is a postdoctoral researcher specializing in the history of German-speaking Jewry in Central Europe. He received his PhD from the University of Potsdam in 2014 following his university studies in Berlin, Jerusalem, and Baltimore. His dissertation topic was the Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith (Centralverein) during the years 1933 to 1938. Since completing his doctoral studies, Dr. Nicolai has undertaken a series of significant research projects. Notably, he contributed to the "Religion and Politics" project at the University of Haifa's Center for German and European Studies in 2018. He also participated in the "Topography of the Shoah in Breslau/Wroclaw 1933-1949" research project, collaborating with the Universities of Wroclaw and Technische Universität Dresden on an extensive article examining the activities of the Centralverein in Lower Silesia. In 2021, Dr. Nicolai commenced a postdoctoral fellowship at the German Historical Institute in Warsaw, delving into the history of Jewry in the former German Eastern territories, with a specific focus on Silesia and Greater Poland. Subsequently, he engaged in diverse projects, including research on Protestant “Baltic Martyrs" at the Academic Library of Tallinn, Estonia, and a critical analysis of the antisemitism of Berliner Stadtmission's founder, Adolf Stoecker. Currently, Dr. Nicolai holds a postdoctoral researcher position at the Prague branch of the German Historical Institute Warsaw, where he is devoting himself to the exploration of the history of the B'nai B'rith Order in Czechoslovakia during the period 1919-1939.

 

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