Third Zionist Congress - Basel 1899

The First Zionist Congress held in Basel, Switzerland in 1897 is well known, but did you know that there were 21 more Zionist Congresses held prior to Israel’s independence in 1948?  It was through these Congresses (six of which were held during the life of Theodor Herzl) that the many important steps in the journey from Herzl’s idea to Jewish statehood were discussed, approved, reviewed and implemented. 

The Third Zionist Congress was held in Basel, Switzerland from August 15 to 18, 1899. The Congress opened with a report from Herzl of his meetings with Kaiser Wilhelm II in Constantinople, Jerusalem and Mikve Israel in October/November 1898. These meetings produced no practical results, but the fact that the Zionist case was made before the head of a great world power was of immense symbolic value. The Congress also recognized that there was much work to be done to realize Herzl’s vision of a Jewish State and that its creation was not imminent.

There was a great deal of debate about the exact meaning of the "charter," first mentioned by Herzl, and the significance of the term "public law" in the Basel Program that was adopted at the First Zionist Congress, i.e., whether the intent was a license from all the powers or only from Turkey. Herzl was persuaded to accept the latter interpretation. 

It was also resolved that the Jewish Colonial Trust which was discussed at the Second Zionist Congress and was incorporated under the laws of England prior to the Third Congress would confine its settlement activities to the Land of Israel and Syria. 

The "practical" Zionists failed in their attempts to gain the Congress' approval for initiating settlement activities before obtaining the "charter," and the theoretical debates on cultural matters, which occupied several Congresses from the Second on, continued. Herzl was preoccupied with political activities, and everything outside this sphere was thrust aside. Some historians argue that Herzl was not disinterested in cultural matters but was concerned that focussing on these had the potential to split the Zionist movement in its infancy.

Herzl’s opening remarks at the Congress (which can be found in the pages from the August 18, 1899 edition of The Jewish Chronicle in the PDF below) included the following statement:  

“ A people is contending here for its existence, its honour and its freedom. It desires to emerge from darkness into sunshine. The present situation of the Jews tends towards three directions. The first is the apathetic submission to insult and misery. The other is a revolt against a step motherly society. Ours is the third way: To soar upwards to a higher degree of civilization, to promote the general welfare, to prepare new paths for intercourse among the nations, and to seek an awakening for social justice.”

On the fourth and last day of the Congress, German born delegate Davis Trietsch brought forward his plan to colonize Cyprus which was met with angry cries from Russian delegates. Herzl asked that those assembled let him finish, without success. Herzl then closed the Congress to enable it to end before the start of the Sabbath which Herzl said proved there was no antagonism between Zionism and religion.

Herzl then ended the Congress by saying that much work remained to be done. There were 19 more Congresses before 1948. Herzl attended only the next three before he died.

To mark the 125th anniversary of the Third Zionist Congress, please enjoy the images below from David’s collection.

These images are available to be downloaded and used free of charge. 

If you do, we would ask that you please provide the following photo credit:  

From the David Matlow Herzl and Zionism Collection (www.herzlcollection.com)

Photos: Kevin Viner, Elevator Digital, Toronto  

If you would like to order art quality prints and posters of any size, please contact info@elevatordigital.ca

If you have any questions about these items please contact davidmatlow@icloud.com