Jews and the crusade against the antichrist: Ignaz Maybaum’s early reflections on the Second World War

Ignaz Maybaum, a leading Reform rabbi and theologian, made significant contributions to Holocaust theology. After fleeing to Britain following Kristallnacht, his philosophy evolved through three stages: pre-WWII, early war years, and post-Holocaust. In *Man and Catastrophe* (1941), Maybaum rejected the notion of Jewish passivity, portraying Jews as moral agents awakening global conscience. He saw WWII as a Christian struggle against Hitler, with Jews playing a marginal yet vital role as bearers of divine truth, echoing Rosenzweig's concept of Jewish priesthood. Advocating Judeo-Christian fraternity, he supported Jewish cultural integration in Britain while maintaining distinct identity. He emphasized acculturation over assimilation, warning that losing Jewish uniqueness would harm global spirituality. Maybaum's thought during this period balanced integration with boundary preservation, highlighting Judaism's enduring role in world morality.