Acta Ethnographica Hungarica, 59 (2), pp. 329–285 (2014) DOI: 10.1556/AEthn.59.2013.2.10 JEWISH MILITARY CHAPLAINS IN THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ARMED FORCES DURING WORLD WAR I Ákos BÍRÓ University of Debrecen, Doctoral School of History and Ethnography Egyetem tér 1, H-4010 Debrecen 10, Hungary E-mail: Abstract: Most armed forces of the world do employ military chaplains to increase the willingness of the troops, and to provide the necessary spiritual support on the battlefield or even during the peacetime service. Austria-Hungary acted likewise by setting up its own system, which has been proven to be extremely useful during World War I. It is not commonly known, but a large number of Jewish soldiers were enlisted in the different armed forces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and they were supported by field rabbis from the very beginning of the conflict. This institution was unique among the armies of the Central Powers in such an extended form. In my study I would like to provide a resume of this structure and offer an insight into the very important work conducted by military chaplains – rabbis, in this particular case – in state of war. Keywords: Jewish military chaplains, Austro-Hungary, WWI There is an old saying; in the middle of a battle, everybody finds his own way to God, no matter which religion he belongs to. In this regard, there is no difference between János Kovács, who is asking Jesus Christ to forgive his sins, and Salamon Schwartz, who is praying for Adonai Tzevaot1. They were equal in the trenches, and in the end, they both believed in one god as well. Field-Marshall Archduke Joseph August2 wrote once in a letter he addressed to Miksa 1 Adonai Tzevaot (Hebrew) is one of the many names the Bible uses when it refers to God; literally it means Lord of the Armies. 2 Joseph August Viktor Klemens Maria von Habsburg-Lothringen, Archduke of Austria, Royal Prince of Hungary and Bohemia (9 August 1872 – 6 July 1962) was one of most acknowledged commanders of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces during the war; he was for a short period head of state of Hungary. He was the eldest son of Archduke Joseph Karl of Austria (1833–1905) and his wife Princess Clotilde of Saxe-CoburgGotha (1846–1927). Joseph August’s grandfather had been Palatine Joseph of Hungary (1776–1847), Palatine and Viceroy of Hungary, a younger son of Emperor Leopold II. 1216–9803/$ 20.00 © 2014 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 10Biro.indd 1 2014.10.24. 9:27:49 2 Ákos BÍRÓ Szabolcsi, editor of the Jewish-Hungarian periodical Egyenlőség3: “I have seen myself that many of the finest heroes are Hungarian Jews.4.” The Hungarian Jewry definitely took part in the Great War, and they were enlisted en masse into the units of the Imperial and Royal Armed Forces, as well as of the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army. Just like any other Christian or Muslim soldier, they equally needed spiritual assistance while serving as soldiers in a fierce war. During peacetime, no military rabbis were officially employed by the armed forces of Austria-Hungary, but each garrison kept in contact with the local rabbis, and whatever necessary support was provided by the nearby Jewish communities. When the war broke out, this comfortable solution was no longer adequate, as the army needed to provide spiritual leadership for the Jewish soldiers in the frontlines. The presence of rabbis in Austria-Hungary’s military dates back to the 1848-1849 War of Independence. Around eighteen-thousand Jews fought in the Hungarian Honvéd Army, and were looked after by local rabbis, who also volunteered to join the army, as none were officially commissioned. Rabbi Leopold Löw is generally considered to be the first field rabbi, but he never received an official appointment5; the one and only officially commissioned field-rabbi was Ignác Einhorn, who was appointed by General György Klapka, Commander of the Fortress of Komárom, on the 11th of September, 18496. After the fall of that uprising, Hungarian Jews were enlisted to the Imperial Army, and their needs were once again supported by local civilian rabbis. This system remained so until the beginning of the First World War, although serious changes were implemented in the structure of the military chaplaincy after 1867. The territory of Austria-Hungary was divided into seventeen military districts, each district being one army corps. Later the military districts of Upper Austria and Pétervárad were abolished, and the dual-monarchy consisted of only fifteen military districts, until the occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina when an additional district was set up in the new province. A military chaplain was appointed to each district, or to each army corps, and the sixteen military chaplains and one full-time field-mufti were headed by an apostolic field-vicar7. At the time of war, he was the leader of the chaplains of the national armies as well, however, a separate chaplaincy (Magyar Királyi Honvédlelkészet) was created for the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army, and another one for the Austrian k. k. Landwehr as well. The Roman Catholic apostolic field-vicar – practically a bishop – was the commander-in-chief of the whole structure, and commanded the protestant chaplains, the field-muftis, and the field-rabbis as well. After 1849, until 1914, there were no officially 3 Egyenlőség (Equality) was a Hungarian weekly launched on 5 November 1882 by Mór Bogdányi. It was edited from 1884 by Miksa Szabolcsi (1857–1915) and acquired by him in 1886. Two decades afterwards (1915) he will be succeeded by his son Lajos. It began publication in midst of the Tiszaeszlár ritual murder trial in response to the wave of anti-Semitism that swept Hungary and quickly became the most influential and longest lasting Jewish periodical in Hungary, appearing until 1938. By and large Egyenlőség reflected the assimilationist views of Neologue Jews who advocated mild religious reforms, although at times it could be critical of Neologue establishment. In any case it supported the Jews to remain Jews and follow the traditions, but be faithful and loyal Hungarians at the same time. 4 Egyenlőség, 24/01/1915: 2. 5 BOROVI 1992: 64. 6 ZAKAR 1999: 65. 7 BOROVI 1992: 82. 10Biro.indd 2 2014.10.24. 9:27:50 Jewish Military Chaplains in the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces durin World War I 3 appointed field-rabbis in the active service at all, except for the short period during the wars in 1866, when, as per the orders of the Emperor, two rabbis were nominated as Feldprediger – field-preachers to the Northern and Southern fronts8. In case of Hungary, according to the Law of the Armed Forces9, every rabbi, graduating from the rabbinical seminary of Budapest or Pozsony, was allowed to apply for fieldrabbi in reserve status, if they met the following qualifications: – Possessed an at least cum laude level university degree – Were younger than forty years of age – Led a morally unquestionable life – Had Hungarian citizenship and good command of Hungarian language – Were physically fit – Served at least three years of active duty as a civilian rabbi In July 1914, there were eleven field-rabbis in reserve within the Royal Hungarian Honvédség, and they were called in to active duty right at the beginning of the war. The number later increased, and during the 1914–1918 conflict, a total of eighteen rabbis served within the Honvédség (although there were never more than thirteen serving at one time10). The Imperial and Royal Army was a much bigger corps than the Honvéd Army, so the KuK Israelitische Militaerseelsorge (Imperial and Royal Israelite Military Chaplaincy) naturally needed more rabbis. At the beginning of the WW I there were only nine fieldrabbis in reserve belonging to the army, but this number was later increased. The army also needed so-called assistant field-rabbis (enlisted civilian rabbis without previous fieldrabbi in reserve status), and finally in 1918 there were twenty appointed field-rabbis, and 57 + 111 assistant field-rabbis in the Imperial and Royal Army, making a total of ninety-six field-rabbis serving with the Austro-Hungarian armed forces during the war. All of them received 9th grade officer status12, making them equivalent to captains, however, the rank insignia was not worn on their collars in the form of three golden stars, but rather on their sleeves in the form of three golden stripes13. Field-rabbis provided spiritual support to soldiers during times of war, assisting them with religious services on high holidays, wherever and whenever they were called upon to do so. They held funeral speeches, supported the officer corps in keeping up the soldiers’ morale, and also supported the families of the fallen heroes. They had a number of admin8 MELICHÁR 1899: 51. 1889. VI. tc. /Véderőtörvény/, §. 29, section 2. 10 The best source to follow up the changes and the actual rabbis in service is the yearbook (Schematismus) of Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army and the K. u. K. Heer and the Kriegsmarine; these were regularly issued during the war in 1914–1918 as well. 11 László Saager as an active field rabbi is mentioned only in the memoires of Feldsuperior Géza Váradi, as a military chaplain who was under process of the officer’s council of honour; his name is not appearing in any Schematismus or other document so far. His service must have been very short due to the above mentioned trial process. 12 BOROVI 1992: 93. 13 Szolgálati Szabályzat a magyar királyi Honvédség számára, p. 424. 9 10Biro.indd 3 2014.10.24. 9:27:50 4 Ákos BÍRÓ istrative duties as well – issuing death, and sometimes marriage certificates, and assisting the censors of the field postal services in case of letters and postcards written in Yiddish, or occasionally Hebrew. One of the most important holidays of Judaism is the Shabbat. During wartime, especially on the frontline, the religious prohibition of work and usage of fire was understandably abolished, as the rabbis all agreed that in that case the rule of pikuach nefesh14 precedes the taboos of Shabbat. Considering the relatively small number of rabbis in both the Imperial and Royal Army and the Hungarian Royal Honvéd Army, it was virtually impossible to ensure the presence of a rabbi on every welcoming of Shabbat on Friday evenings, however, that was not necessarily required. The Jewish custom allowed, and still allows, capable and wise men to lead the prayers, along with ten or more Jewish soldiers present. The rabbis regularly visited the troops on the high holidays, and behind the lines, services were held in the synagogues of the occupied territories, or if stone-built holy places were not available, the soldiers themselves created wooden synagogues, especially on the Italian and the Balkan fronts. On the Northern front, where Jewish presence was notable everywhere in the occupied lands, this was not necessary, and it is well-documented that the local Jewish communities were pleased to assist and support the Austro-Hungarian forces in Galicia and the occupied parts of Russia, and were very keen to welcome Jewish soldiers and officers in their synagogues. Another important pillar of Judaism is the kashrut – the Jewish dietary laws. Needless to say, the complex rules and rituals were very difficult to follow in the trenches, although it was common that most orthodox soldiers would rather go hungry than eat treif (non-kosher) food. The field-rabbis helped as much as possible to provide kosher food, but generally these rituals were also abolished during the time of war. In certain cases, a Jewish shakter, a ritual butcher, was pressed into service with regiments that had considerable numbers of Jewish soldiers, such as the 11th (Munkács) and the 12th (Szatmárnémeti / Máramarossziget) Honvéd Infantry Regiments. On the feast of Pesach, the Jewish Passover, when Jews may not own, eat or benefit from chometz15 during the whole period of the feast, and they required regular supplies of matzo (unleavened bread), for ritual and everyday meal purposes as well. The rabbis were allowed to organise the production or the purchase of matzo for those soldiers who needed it. In certain cases they used local resources as well, mainly on the Northeastern Front. Field-rabbis were also responsible for the spiritual assistance of captured Jews of enemy nations. Large numbers of Jewish soldiers became POWs in Austria-Hungary, most of them from the Russian Army. As per the reports of Egyenlőség16 , Jewish-Russian POWs celebrated the birthday of the king of Hungary in the POW Camp near EsztergomKenyérmező, and prayed for King and Fatherland from the Hungarian/Hebrew bilingual prayer book, which was distributed among them by the field-rabbis. 14 The commandment of “saving a soul”, which outrules any other commandment. Chometz is made from one of five types of grain, and combined with water is left to stand for longer than eighteen minutes. Regular bread, or any similar product, which were staple foods for soldiers, are not allowed to be eaten or even touched for the eight days of Passover. 16 Egyenlőség, 25/02/1916: 5. 15 10Biro.indd 4 2014.10.24. 9:27:50 Jewish Military Chaplains in the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces durin World War I 5 As most of the field-rabbis held civilian positions somewhere in Austria-Hungary, they corresponded with their communities, families, and with local notables, including editors of newspapers, etc. Many of them published articles, sometimes on a regular basis, in several periodicals, writing about the horrors of war, and the heroism of their Jewish comrades. These rabbis in uniform became famous, and considerable articles were published about the most popular ones, such as Dr. Samuel Lemberger, who served in the frontline during the bloodiest battles in Galicia, and was also present at the breakthrough near Gorlice. Let us introduce him, as one of the finest example of a brave soldier and a devoted servant of God. Dr. Lemberger was a civilian rabbi in Pozsony-Szentgyörgy17, and he became one of the most decorated field-rabbis of the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army. He applied for a field-rabbi in reserve position after graduating from the rabbinical seminar of Pozsony, and his request was accepted, leading to Lemberger’s appointment to the 39th Honvéd Infantry Division on 1 May, 1910. Commanders of this famous division were LieutenantGeneral Imre Hadffy de Livno, and from 1916, Major-General Balázs Dáni de Gyarmata. Dr. Lemberger went to the Northern front with the division on August 1st, 1914, according to his files in the Hungarian military archives, and he took part in several battles in Galicia in 1914, 1915, and 1916; while in 1917 he was sent to Transylvania. His supreme commanders described him in his personal file18 as follows: “He has a self-determined, strong personality. Very well educated, fine-mannered chaplain. He can work easily by himself, absolutely indefatigable and tireless. He supported his fellows with spiritual services in the middle of strong enemy fire, and has proven calmness and personal bravery under these circumstances. As a field-rabbi, he has outstandingly qualified himself in every possible way, the soldiers have great trust in him. Among the officer corps, he is a very popular comrade.” The above was written and signed by Colonel Béla Balassa, divisional chief-of-staff. Dr. Lemberger was awarded with the following orders and medals during his service: Knight’s Cross of the Order of Franz Joseph on the war ribbon with Swords, Golden Merit Cross with Crown on the war ribbon, Military Jubilee Cross 1908, Officer’s 2nd Class Badge of Honour of the Red Cross with War Decoration, and the Charles Troop Cross. Dr. Lemberger was only one of the brave rabbis who served as true successors of the Maccabees, and embodied genuine Hungarian virtue and excellence combined with Jewish faithfulness and devotion to the Creator of the Universe. 10Biro.indd 5 17 Now Svätý Jur pri Bratislave, Slovakia. 18 Előjegyzési lap a minősítési leíráshoz, HL. Akvi. 14.257. (Military Archives of Hungary) 2014.10.24. 9:27:50 6 Ákos BÍRÓ Database of the Jewish military chaplains of the K. u. K. Heer Name Günsberger Maximilian Frankfurter Arnold Adler Lorenz Lőwy Ignaz Mieses Josef Klein Sámuel Steiner Wilhelm Golinski Ludwig Deutsch Ernst Halberstam Michael Ferda Rudolf Grünsfeld Josef Hirschberger Árpád Fisch Desiderius Lebovics Hirsch Grünsfeld David Fürst Leo Kellner Hermann Ehrmann Samuel Krausz Leopold Adler Elias Altmann Adolf Balaban Mayer Samuel Bertisch Leo Deutsch Adolf Deutsch Aron Diamant Béla Duschinszky Michael Eisler Matthias Faerber Rubin Fischer Géza Fischer Leopold Fischer Wilhelm Frankfurter Jakob Freudiger David Freund Levi Friediger Moses Fuchs Salomon Funk Samuel Gerstl Ignác Glück Ludwig Günwald Elias Hausner Bernhard 10Biro.indd 6 Date of conscription 1906. 04. 01 1909. 02. 01. 1909. 11. 01. 1910. 02. 01. 1910. 04. 01. 1911. 06. 01. 1913. 01. 01. 1913. 09. 01. 1913. 12. 01. 1914. 01. 01. 1914. 11. 01. 1915. 02. 01. 1915. 04. 01. 1915. 05. 01. 1915. 06. 01. 1916. 02. 01. 1916. 04. 01. 1916. 06. 01. 1917. 11. 01. 1918. 01. 01. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Civilian residence Herincse Bécs Szelőcze Kaaden Przemysl Érsekújvár Hátszeg Pilsen Karánsebes Schaffa Znaim Pozsony Neuern Kiskunfélegyháza Čepin Moson Csúz Tenke Komárom Debrecen Budapest Meran Lemberg Deutschbrod Kostel Pincehely Misslitz Rákospalota Kolozsvár Ostrau Balassagyarmat Zenta Budapest Tepplitz-Schönau Budapest Lemberg Oderberg Nagyvárad Pozsony Nagyszentmiklós Kassa Csáktornya Lemberg Conscripted in Máramarossziget Bécs Komárom Komotau Przemysl Pozsony Szászváros Pilsen Karánsebes Znaim Znaim Pozsony Písek Kecskemét Osijek Sopron Komárom Nagyvárad Komárom Debrecen Budapest Brixen Lemberg Caslau Kremsier Kaposvár Znaim Budapest Kolozsvár Teschen Losonc Szabadka Budapest Komotau Budapest Lemberg Teschen Nagyvárad Pozsony Szeged Kassa Nagykanizsa Lemberg Awards – GMCwC GMCwC KCFJO, GMCwC – GMCwC – – GMCwC GMCwC – – GMCwC – – – – – – – – – – – – KCFJO GMCwC – – – GMCwC, MJC KCFJO GMCwC GMCwC BMMM, GMCwC – – – – – – – GMCwC 2014.10.24. 9:27:50 Jewish Military Chaplains in the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces durin World War I Name Havas Emanuel Saager László Herschkovics Berie Hirsch Salamon Hoffmann Jakob Jungreisz Izrael Kandel Samuel Kiss Heinrich Kohn Isidor Kohn Saul Israel Krakauer Emil Krauszmann Josef Kun Ludwig Lebowics Israel Link Samuel Mandl Simon Margel Moyshe Maestro-Peric Isaak Morgenstern Abraham Nagelberg Samuel Nürnberger Kálmán Ochser Schulim Pap Ludwig Péner Nikolaus Polák Joel Raitzer Josef Schap Ludwig Schreiber David Schwartz Moritz Schwartz Moses Singer Leo Sonnenschein Elias Weiss Friedrich Weisz Heinrich Zafir Ignatz zcl. Date of conscription – vacat – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Civilian residence Budapest 1. vacat Alsóbereck Budapest Bécs 2. Nádudvar Budapest Muraszombat Gewitsch Jamnitz Komotau Kassa Budapest Nagykövesd Pilsen Neutitschein Požega Mostar Leitmeritz Bécs Ung. Brod. Bécs Brassó Budapest Bécs Huszt Tobitschau Kassa Budapest Mezőlaborc Várpalota Gyöngyös Iglau Pozsony Kassa Conscripted in Budapest vacat Kassa Budapest Bécs Debrecen Budapest Szombathely Mähr. Schönberg Znaim Komotau Kassa Budapest Munkács Pilsen Teschen Osijek Mostar Leitmeritz Bécs Kremsier Bécs Brassó Budapest Bécs Máramarossziget Olmütz Kassa Budapest Ungvár Győr Eger Iglau Pozsony Kassa 7 Awards – vacat – – – – GMCwC – – – – – – – GMCwC – GMCwC – – GMCwC – – – – – – – GMCwC – GMCwC – – – – – The rabbis of Hungarian origin are indicated in italic letters; sometimes there is confusion, as for instance Árpád Hirschberger and Béla Diamant are clearly of Hungarian origin, still they are employed in Austria, and were enlisted from the Austrian states. I list the first names in their original forms, as they appear in the Schematismus, however, this may lead to further confusion again, as dr. Ernst Deutsch of the VII. Army Corps is really dr. Deutsch Ernő, a well known Hungarian rabbi from Karánsebes. 10Biro.indd 7 2014.10.24. 9:27:50 8 Ákos BÍRÓ Database of the Jewish military chaplains of the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army Name Dr. Kelemen Adolf Klein József Dr. Drobinszky Jakab Date of conscription 1889 1891 1898 Conscripted in vacat vacat Zágráb (Zagreb) Awards MJC – – Goldstein Lipót 1903 Pozsony – Lőwinger Márton Deutsch Gábor Grosszmann Zsigmond Frankfurter Mór Friedmann Ernő Hirsch Leó Lemberger Samu Feldmann Áron Schlesinger Sámuel Dr. Kálmán Ödön Schück D. József Dr. Bande Zoltán Müller Lajos Sonnenschein Éliás 1904 1904 1906 1909 1909 1910 1910 1912 1913 1913 1914 1914 1915 1917 Kolozsvár vacat Vacat Eszék (Osijek) Gyula Kolozsvár Pozsony Budapest Budapest Jászberény Kassa Budapest Kassa Arad – – – – – – KCFJO, GMCwC, RC2 – – – – – – – ABBREVIATIONS: KCFJO: Knights Cross of the Order of Franz Joseph (on war ribbon) BMMM: Bronze Military Merit Medal (Signum Laudis) on war ribbon with swords GMCwC: Golden Merit Cross with Crown (of the Order of Franz Joseph) (on war ribbon) RC2: Officer’s Honour Badge 2nd Class of the Red Cross with war decoration MJC: Military Jubilee Cross (1908) SOURCES Military Archives of Hungary (Hadtörténelmi Levéltár): dr. Lemberger Samu personal files (Akvi.14.257) Regulations and manuals: Öltözeti és felszerelési szabályzat a m. kir. honvédség számára, VII. kötet. [Regulation of Clothing and Armoury for the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army.] Budapest, 1913. Szolgálati utasítás a m. kir. honvéd lelkészet számára. [Service Directives for the Royal Hungarian Military Chaplancy.] Budapest, 1899. Szolgálati Szabályzat a Magyar Királyi Honvédség számára. [Service Regulations for the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army.] Budapest, 1913. 10Biro.indd 8 2014.10.24. 9:27:50 Jewish Military Chaplains in the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces durin World War I 9 YEARBOOKS: A Magyar Királyi Honvédség Névjegyzéke [Schematismus of the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army.] Volumes 1914, 1915, (1916 vacat), 1917, 1918 Schematismus und Rangliste des K.u.K. Heeres und der Kriegsmarine, Volumes 1914; (1915 vacat); 1916, 1917, 1918 LITERATURE BOROVI, József 1992: A magyar tábori lelkészet története. [History of the Military Chaplancy in Hungary.] Budapest. MELICHAR, Kálmán 1899: A katonai lelkészet az Osztrák-Magyar Monarchia közös hadseregében és a Magyar Királyi Honvédségnél. [Military Chaplancy at the Austro-Hungarian Army and Royal Hungarian Honvéd Army.] Budapest. V. VÁRADI, Géza 1933: A közös hadseregtől a nemzeti hadseregig (Emlékirat). [From the Common Army until a National Army (Memories).] Budapest. ZAKAR, Péter 1999: A magyar hadsereg tábori lelkészei 1848-49-ben. [Military Chaplancy of the Army in 1848-1849.] METEM, Budapest. Periodica: Egyenlőség (Ed.: SZABOLCSI, Miksa) different issues, 1914–1918 ???????????? 10Biro.indd 9 2014.10.24. 9:27:50 10 Ákos BÍRÓ ????????????????? 10Biro.indd 10 2014.10.24. 9:27:50