Syjonistyczny Nowy Człowiek. Od księgi do miecza
Okładka czasopisma Humaniora. Czasopismo Internetowe, tom 55, nr 3, rok 2026
PDF

Słowa kluczowe

syjonizm
ikonografia syjonistyczna
Theodor Herzl
militaryzm żydowski/izraelski

Jak cytować

Kamczycki, A. (2026). Syjonistyczny Nowy Człowiek. Od księgi do miecza. Humaniora. Czasopismo Internetowe, 55(3), 73–94. https://doi.org/10.14746/h.2026.3.4

Abstrakt

This text analyzes the Zionist concept of the “New Jew” as the secular, strong, proud, and martial antithesis of the Diaspora Jew. Theodor Herzl and other Zionist ideologues criticized traditional ghetto culture and the dominance of religion and Torah study. The “New Hebrew” emerged as the ideal—a figure meant to regain physical fitness, vitality, independence, and self-worth. Max Nordau developed the concept of “Muscular Judaism,” inspired by, among other things, the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche and the idea of the *Übermensch* (Superman). In Zionist iconography, Herzl was portrayed as a modern counterpart to biblical heroes such as Joshua, Samson, and Judas Maccabeus. Art and propaganda depicted the muscular body, sports, fencing, and gymnastics as symbols of the rebirth of Jewish identity. Jewish sports clubs and organizations were established to shape a new model of masculinity and to restore a sense of honor and strength. Gradually, the idea of the “New Jew” became intertwined with a cult of physical labor, pioneering, the land, and—above all—military service, marking a shift from the “People of the Book” to the “People of the Sword.” However, some Zionists advocated not for the total rejection of spirituality, but for a synthesis of the values symbolized by the book and the sword. Nevertheless, the development of this martial ideal influenced Israel’s subsequent culture, and contemporary Israeli militarism is a consequence of the transformations initiated by early Zionism.

https://doi.org/10.14746/h.2026.3.4
PDF

Bibliografia

Arbel R. Blue and White in Color. Visual Images of Zionism, 1897–1947, katalog wystawy, Beth Hatefutsoth / the Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora, Tel Aviv, Israel 1996.

Avineri S., The Making of Modern Zionism. The Intellectual Origins of the Jewish State, Basic Books, New York 1981.

Basic Writings of Ahad Ha’am: Nationalism and the Jewish Ethic, ed. H. Kohn, Herzl Press, New York 1962.

Berdyczewski M.J., Al Ha-achdut [O Jedności] (Al Em Ha-derech [W połowie drogi]) wyd. Tuszija (hebr.), Warszawa 1902.

Berkowitz M., Art in Zionist Popular Culture and Jewish National Self-Consciousness, 1897–1914, w: Arts and Its Uses. The Visual Image and Modern Jewish Society, ed. E. Mendelsohn, Studies in Contemporary Jewry. An Annual VI, Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford 1990. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195061888.003.0002

Berkowitz M., The Jewish Self Image in the West, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2000.

Berkowitz M., Zionist Culture and Western European Jewry before First World War, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1993.

Boyarin D., Goyim Naches, or, Modernity and the Manliness of the Mentsh, w: Modernity, Culture and ‘the Jew’, eds., Cheyette, B., Marcus, L., Polity Press & Blackwell Publishers, Cambridge 1998.

Brenner L., Zionism in the Age of Dictators, Croom Helm, London 1983.

Brenner Y.H., The Complete Works of Y.H. Brenner, vol. 7, Dvir, Tel Aviv 1928.

Buber M., Ein Wort über Nietzsche und die Lebenswerte, „Die Kunst im Leben” 1900, vol. 1, Nr. 2.

Buber M., Herzl und die Historie, w: Die jüdische Bewegung: Gesammelte Aufsatze und Ansprachen, wyd. 2, Jüdisher Verlag, Berlin 1920.

Buber M., On Zion. The History of an Idea, tłum. z niem. S. Godman, UNKNO, Jerusalem 1944 (London 1952, 1973).

Buber M., The Man and the Cause. The Organic Relation Between Them Exemplified in Herzl, w: Theodor Herzl. A Memorial, eds. M.W. Weisgal, New Palestine, New York 1929.

Eidelberg S., Theodor Herzl. From Visionary to Reality, w: Theodor Herzl. If you will it, it is not a dream, S.A. Herzkowitz, katalog wystawy, Yeshiva University Museum, New York 1997.

Elmessiri A.M., The Land of Promise. A Critique of Political Zionism, North American, Inc., New Jersey 1977.

Even-Zohar I., The Emergence of Native Hebrew Culture in Palestine. 1882–1948, „Studies in Zionism”, Oct. 1981, no. 4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13531048108575807

Falk A., Herzl, King of the Jews. A Psychoanalytic Biography of Theodor Herzl, University Press of America, Lanham–New York– London 1993.

Feiwel B., Geleitwort, „Judische Almanach” 5663, 1902/1903.

Feiwel B., Lieder des Ghetto von Morris Rosenfeld, Marquardt u. Co., Berlin 1903.

Frankel J., Prophecy and Politics: Socialism, Nationalism, and Russian Jews, 1862–1917, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1981. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511572494

Gelber M., The jungjüdische Bewegung, „Leo Beck Institute Year Book” 1986, no. 31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/leobaeck/31.1.105

Gilman S., The Jew’s Body, Psychology Press, London 1991.

Golomb J., Nietzsche and Zion, Cornel University Press, London 2004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7591/9781501727214

Golomb J., Nietzsche’s Positive Religion and the Old Testament, w: Nietzsche and the Divine, eds. J. Urpeth, J. Lippitt, Clinamen Press, Manchester 2000.

Gorny Y., Notebooks for the Study of the Works of Y.H. Brenner, vols. II, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 1977.

Ha’am Ahad (Asher Cwi Ginsberg), Kol kitvei Ahad Ha’am (hebr.) (Zbiór pism Ahad Ha’ama), Dvir, Tel Aviv 1947.

Halpern B., Reinharz J., Zionism and the Creation of the New Society, Oxford University Press, London 2000.

Hecht R., When the Shofar Sounds. Herzl – His Image, Achievements and Selections from His Writings, vol. II, MOLEDETH Development Co. Ltd., Haifa 2006. Herskowitz S.A., Theodor Herzl. If you will it, it is not a dream, katalog wystawy, Yeshiva University Museum, New York 1997.

Hertzberg A., The Zionist Idea. A Historical Analysis and Reader, Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia and Jerusalem 1997.

Herzl T., Altneueland: Roman, Hermann Seemann Nachfolger, Leipzig 1902 (Haifa 1960), wersja polska: U wrót nowego życia – (Altneuland). Powieść – utopja, E. Giltin, Warszawa 1934.

Herzl T., Das Neue Ghetto, Werlag der Welt, Wien 1898 (Wien–Berlin 1920), The New Ghetto, tłum. H. Norden, New York 1955.

Herzl T., Der Judenstaat. Versuch einer modernen Losung der Judenfrage, M. Breitenstein’s Verlags-Buchhandlung, Leipzig und Wien 1896.

Herzl T., Old New Land, tłum. i red. L. Levensohn, wyd. 2, Bloch Publishing Company in cooperation with Herzl Press, New York 1960.

Herzl T., Pamiętniki Theodora Herzla 1895–1905 w 6-ciu tomach, tłum. z niem. J. Appenszlak, Wydawnictwo Nowoczesne, Warszawa 1915 (wyd. II: 1932).

Herzl T., Państwo Żydowskie. Próba nowoczesnego rozwiązania kwestii żydowskiej, tłum. J. Surzyn, Austeria, Kraków 2006.

Herzl T., Philosophische Erzählungen, Verlag Gebrüder Paetel, Berlin 1900 (Berlin–Wien 1919).

Herzl T., Solution of the Jewish Question, „The Jewish Chronicle” 17 January 1896, London.

Herzl T., The Complete Diaries of Theodor Herzl, 1895–1904, (I-V vols) ed. R. Patai, tłum. ang. H. Zohn, Herzl Press, New York 1960.

Herzl T., The Jewish State, (tłum. D’Avigdor, S.) Central Office of the Zionist Organisation, London 1936.

Heyd M., Lilien: Between Herzl and Ahasver, w: Theodor Herzl. Visionary of the Jewish State, eds. G. Shimoni, R.S. Wistrich, Herzl Press, New York 1999.

Hyman P.E., Gender and Assimilation in Modern Jewish History: The Roles and Representation of Women, University of Washington Press, Seattle 1995.

Kamczycki A., Syjonizm i sztuka. Ikonografia Theodora Herzla, PTPN, Poznań 2014.

Katz J., Jewish Emancipation and Self-Emancipation, Jewish Publication Society, New York 1986.

Kornberg J., The Construction of an Identity, w: Theodor Herzl. Visionary of the Jewish State, eds. G. Shimoni, R.S. Wistrich, Herzl Press, New York 1999.

Malinowski J., Malarstwo i Rzeźba Żydów Polskich w XIX i XX wieku, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa 2000.

Mendelsohn E., On Modrern Jewish Politics, Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford 1993.

Michael D.F. and Mittelman, W., Nietzsche’s Attitude Towards the Jews, „Journal of the History of Ideas” 1988, vol. XLIX, no. 1.

Mittelmann H., From Comedies of Dissimulation to Dream of an Authentic Life, w: Theodor Herzl. Visionary of the Jewish State, eds. G. Shimoni, R.S. Wistrich, Herzl Press, New York 1999.

Mosse G., Nationalism and Sexuality: Respectability and Abnormal Sexuality in Modern Europe, Howard Fertig Pub., New York 1985.

Naor M., Haim hajehudei be mea haesrim. Historia meculemet, Am Oved, Tel Aviv 2001. Neu-mark D., Nietzsche: An Introduction to the Theory of Superman, „From East to West” 1894.

Nietzsche and Jewish Culture, ed. J. Golomb, Routledge, London–New York 1997.

Nordau M., Doktor Kohn: Burgliches Trauerspiel aus der Gegenwart, Ernst Hoffman, Berlin 1902.

Nordau M., Zionistische Schriften, wyd. 2, Judisher Verlag, Berlin 1923.

Nordau M., Entartung, Carl Duncker Verlag, Berlin 1896.

Nordau M., Muskeljudentum, „Judische Turnzeitung” 1900, VI.

Ohana D., Zarathustra in Jerusalem: Nietzsche and the ‘New Hebrews’, w: The Shaping of Israeli Identity. Myth, Memory and Trauma, eds. R.S. Wistrich, D. Ohana, Routledge, London 1995. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13517129508719337

Rabinovitch M., Ha jahadut ve’ha’adam ha’elion (Judaizm i Nadczłowiek), „Ha-Shilo’ah” 1902, no. 9.

Essential Papers on Zionism, eds. J. Reinharz, A. Shapira, New York and London 1995.

Ruthers M., ‘Muscle Jews’ and ‘Effeminate Jews,’ w: The First Zionist Congres in 1897 – Causes, Significances, Topicality, ed. H. Haumann, Basel 1974.

Salmon Y., Tradition and Nationalism, w: Essential Papers on Zionism, eds. J. Reinharz, A. Shapira, New York University Press, New York and London 1995.

Schweid E., „Studies in Zionism” 1984, 5, no. 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13531048408575854

Schweid E., The Land of Israel: National Home Or Land of Destiny, ang. tłum. D. Greniman, Herzl Press, Madison 1985.

Schweid E., The Rejection of the Diaspora in Zionist Thought: Two Approaches, w: Essential papers on Zionism, eds. J. Reinharz, A. Shapira, New York University Press, New York–London 1995.

Shapira A., Land and Power: The Zionist Resort to Force, 1881–1948, Stanford University Press, California, 1999.

Simmel G., Sociologie: Untersuchungen uber die ormen der Vergesellschaftung, Duncker & Humblot Verlag Leipzig 1908.

Simon E., The Maturing of the Man and the Maturing of the Jew, w: The Jew. Essays from Martin Buber’s Journal ‘Der Jude’, 1916–1928, ed. A.A. Cohen, tłum. z niem. J. Neugro-schel, University of Alabama Press, Alabama 1980.

Sokolow N., Zionism in the Bible, Zionist Organisation Bureau, London 1918.

Stanislawski M., Zionism and the Fin de Siècle. Cosmopolitanism and Nationalism from Nordau to Jabotinsky, University of California Press, London 2001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520935754

Stenographisches Protokoll der Verhandlungen des Zionisten-Kongresses in Basel I–VI (1897–1903), Zionist Verlag, Wien 1903.

The First Zionist Congress In 1897. Causes Significance Topicality, ed. H. Haumann, Basel 1997

The Land of Promise: Biblical, Theological and Contemporary Perspectives, eds. P. Johnston, P. Walker, Apollos, Leicester 2000.

Theodor Herzl: Biographie, ed. A. Bein, Fiba-Verlag, Wien 2 vol. 1934, ang. tłum. M. Samuel, Theodor Herzl: Biography, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1948.

Theodor Herzl. Visionary of the Jewish State, eds. G. Shimoni, R.S. Wistrich, Herzl Press, Jerusalem 1999.

Wistrich R.S., Between Redemption and Perdition. Modern Antisemitism and Jewish identity, Routledge, London and New York 1990.

Wistrich R.S., Theodor Herzl: Zionist Icon, Myth-Maker, and Social Utopian, The Shaping of Israeli Identity. Myth, Memory and Trauma, w: eds. R.S. Wistrich, D. Ohana, Routledge, London 1995. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13517129508719336

Witte B., Żydowska tradycja i literacka nowoczesność, Terminus, Warszawa 2012.

Zweig S., Lilien, E.M. Sein Werk, mit einer Einleitung, Schuster & Löffler, Berlin und Leipzig 1903.