dant of his plans and undertakings, his companion on many political journeyings to Paris, to London, and to Constantinople. He was the man whom Herzl unhesitatily put in charge of the banks, the economic foundation of his far-reaching political en- terpiises. Only the old friends of Herzl knew what Wolffsohn accomplished at the foundation of the Jewish Colonial Bank. In 1898, he headed the committee of founders, whose unique attainment it iS to have called this remarkable institution Into life. A glimpse at the giant labor to be accomplished in those days is afforded bv the fact that there were 330.000 individual subseribers to be considered. and by the further circumstances that innumerable difheulties of a political and organizatory nature had to be surmounted in the creation of a statute. It was Wolffsohn’s marvelous efficiency that brought the task to a successful consummation.
When Herzl's death left the Zionist organization in confusion, the hopes of the political Zionists centred upon Wolffsohn. For a long time he proved unwilling to assume the, responsibilities of the post of successor to the unifier of modern Jewry. When he yielded at last, it was in the deceptive hope that he would succeed at least for some years in winning the support of all groups of the organization. In this hope he was disappointed. The old antagonists of Herzl, both Easterners and Westerners, “practical Zionists” and “Culture-Zionists’ leagued against him. Onslaughts. against the “politician” and the “ autocrat” became freauent, and the merits of the discussion were obscured by sneers icveled against the “henchman of Herzl.” At the Hamburg Congress. it seemed as .' he were about ı>5 succumb to the attack. But the plainspoken, unassuming man had tound his Aighting form during th antecedent struggles. His speeches under fire turned into wonderfully effective rejoin- ders, as witness the frantic applause of several congresses. Had his physical strength been equal to the contest, he would have emerged out of it, in a few vears, the beloved and undisputed leader. But, like his master Herzl, he failed in bodily strength to cope with the tremendous task. When the first symptoms of a heart disease appeared three years ago. he had to leave his opponents in charge of the orsranization, without having been
beaten in the struggle. Never was he more popular, never more respected than in the moment of his relinquishing his burden. As late as 1913, the Vienna Congress elected him chairman in charge its transactions. To the headship of the financial institutions he held fast to the day of his death.
The political successes of Wolffsohn are readily explained. He was a wealthy man, of impressive physical appearance, resolute in action and not assailed by any doubts as to means or aims. He was a Jew of the Jews. in the best sense of the term, in every thought and fihre of his innermost beine. He had no other wish, no other ambition, save the attainment of the Zionist goal. He and the masses understood each other instinctively. Hıs Western eulture never made him forget his early afliliations and the hardships of his l:astern youth. He spoke Yiddish and liked to season his speeches with Hebrew anecdotes and jests taken from an Eastern environment and Jewish humor,
Wolffsohn was above all things a likeable man. It was possible to differ with him, and yet to feel in him a great, warm friend. His Jewish sense of humor and his overflowing heartiness and benevolence, his broad Sholem Alechem, his readiness to be hospitable, will be remembered by many who did not always agree with him. He was a hard courageous, intelligent fighter: yet he never fought so that after the combat, you could be bad friends with him. One of the great sorrows of his life was that he had no children. He poured out his rich, natural affection upon his beloved wife whose passing he did not long survive, and upon the workers in the Zionist movement, to which he gave the best years of his life. Wolffsohn's Zionist activity falls into four periods.
Wolffsohn was fond of telling the story of how he met Herzl. Der Judenstaat had appeared. The day after Wolffsohn heard of it, he was on the train to Vienna. He burst in upon Herzl unannounced, and said: "Herr Doktor, I do not know you. I have come to find out if you are a charlatan or our leader." Never was devotion greater than that of this strong, successful merchant to the prince-leader of the Jewish Revival.
At the Seventh Basle Congress, which (Continued on page 134)