Wolfgang von Weisl: An Ideological Proponent of the Zionist Right as Pioneer in Palestine/Eretz Israel

In my paper I want to discuss the political views of Wolfgang von Weisl who occupied a peculiar position within the Revisionist-Zionist movement. Weisl was born in 1896 into an upper-middle class family in Vienna. His father was a lawyer, both active promoter of Zionism and chairman of a Hapsburg-patriotic Colonial Society. Having served in World War I, Weisl became medical doctor in 1921. As secretary of Keren Kayemet in Vienna he traveled to Palestine/Erez Israel for the first time in 1922. Soon he became disillusioned with the step-by-step colonial scheme of the National Fund and found common ground with Vladimir Jabotinsky, whose eager supporter he would subsequently become. Weisl held various positions in the Revisionist movement.

During the Twenties Weisl became strongly affected by ideas of the Political Right. This included an acceptance of non-democratic forms of government, concepts of autocratic leadership and an outright militaristic outlook on politics. His approach towards the formation of Jewish statehood in Palestine was thus in striking contrast to some of his Austrian fellow-countrymen like Eugen Höflich and Hans Kohn.

I will contextualize Weisl`s views within those of his own political circle and furthermore compare his ideas on the role of Jewish colonization and toward the Arab population of Palestine/Erez Israel with those of his above mentioned ideological competitors. Research is based on so far neglected sources and unpublished documents from his family`s archive in Jerusalem.