Reichsbund jüdischer Frontsoldaten

In 1918, German antisemites claimed that the Jews had stabbed Germany in the back (Dolchstosslegende) by avoiding combat and treating the war as a profiteering opportunity.

[1] The rise of this antisemitic sentiment in Germany was shown within veteran activities as right-leaning groups began to protest the inclusion of Jews in remembrance services.

The goal of the RjF was to organize former Jewish Veterans to defend and portray the sacrifice of themselves and their comrades during World War I as a method to combat antisemitism and the changing political landscape.

[3] The Reichsbund emphasized that 85,000 Jewish soldiers had fought for the German Empire in World War I, and 12,000 had died, which placed their loyalty to Germany beyond any reasonable doubt.

[3] Ultimately, by 1935 laws were enacted banning Jewish participation in armed forces, signaling the loss of RjF advocacy power.

Throughout the organization's existence, even when the Nazis were in power, the RjF firmly believed in their rights to live in an integrated German society because Jewish citizens had fought and died for Germany.

In 1932, right before Hitler's rise, The RjF held an event that was attended by many German elite to celebrate the publishing of the Gedenkbuch, a book that listed the combat records of over 10,500 fallen Jewish Soldiers in WWI.

The RjF claimed responsibility for this exemption for their members, and continued correspondence with government officials, working to retain their rights as German citizens.

The current group embodies similar goals to the original Reichsbund Jüdischer Frontsoldaten, aiming to recognize and preserve the memory of Jewish war veterans in Germany.