The second president of the Zionist Organization, David Wolffsohn, navigated a transition from an observant childhood in the Russian Empire to a professional life as an entrepreneur in Germany. His early departure from his native Darbėnai in 1872 preceded a commitment to both commercial enterprise and the developing Zionist movement that defined his later career.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1855, Wolffsohn was the son of Isaac and Feiga. He spent his initial years studying in the Cheder and Beth Hamedrash of his hometown. To avoid conscription into the Russian army, he relocated to East Prussia in 1872. In Memel, he studied under Rabbi Isaac Rülf, who provided instruction in mathematics and the German language while introducing him to the Hovevei Zion movement.
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Wolffsohn spent several years as an apprentice in a Jewish business house in West Prussia. After a brief period in Lyck, where he engaged with the Zionist pioneer David Gordon, he returned to Memel to establish an independent business in 1877. He married Fanny Judel in 1880, and the couple eventually settled in Cologne in 1887. The couple had no surviving children, and Fanny passed away in 1912.
Zionist Leadership
Wolffsohn emerged as a central figure in Zionist organizing during the late 1890s. Following the 1896 publication of Theodor Herzl's pamphlet, he traveled to Vienna to offer his support. He later accompanied Herzl on diplomatic journeys to Palestine and Istanbul. In 1905, he was elected vice president of the Zionist Organization and assumed the presidency in 1907.
Legacy and Reinterment
Wolffsohn died in 1914 in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe. His remains, along with those of his wife, were reinterred at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on 2 July 1952. The ceremony included eulogies from Knesset Speaker Yosef Sprinzak and Zionist Executive Chairman Berl Locker. His personal papers are maintained at the Central Zionist Archives.
Fast facts
- Born: 1855, Darbėnai
- Died: 1914, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe
- Citizenship: Russian Empire
- Spouse: Fanny Judel
- Occupation: Businessperson, politician, Zionist
- Burial Site: Mount Herzl
Questions readers ask
What was David Wolffsohn's role in the Zionist Organization?
He served as the vice president starting in 1905 and became the president of the Zionist Organization in 1907.
Where is David Wolffsohn buried?
He is buried at the Herzl family burial plot on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, following his reinterment in 1952.
