Walter Rathenau was the only Jew to serve as the Foreign Minister of Germany, where, with creativity and skill he managed the complicated affairs of the Germany that was defeated in World War I. 100 years ago (June 24, 1922) he was murdered at the age of 55 by right-wing extremists who could not stand to see the success of this wealthy and gifted Jew. Although it was more than 10 years until Hitler ym"sh rose to power, some consider his murder the opening shot of the Holocaust.
Walter Rathenau was an assimilated Jew. His father Emil had bought the patents of Thomas Edison and used them to found AEG that had some 70,000 workers and was the major supplier of electricity in Germany.
Walter, who never married, achieved considerable success due to his prodigious abilities, and already by the time he was 30 he sat on the boards of some 80 companies. Although to his credit Walter refused to convert to Christianity, he had no kind words for his fellow Jews and tried to be as German as he could. The Germans, especially the far right, nonetheless conducted an openly antisemitic campaign against him.
An amazing story reached the Yated Ne'eman editorial staff, submitted by Rabbi Avraham Abba Weingurt, brought in the "Memoirs of the Seridei Aish." It tells of HaRav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg and the existence of the Jewish spark within the most distant one, like Walter Rathenau. The only connection between him and his Judaism was on paper, if even that.
The event took place after WWI, in the midst of Yom Kippur. HaRav Weinberg was praying in one of the major shuls in Berlin. When it came to Yizkor, Walter Rathenau, who was then Minister of Rehabilitation and later appointed as Foreign Minister, entered the shul. This took place a few months before his murder.
His father, a famous industrialist, was completely assimilated, and his son, likewise. However, the son wished to accord minimal respect for his father and entered the shul for the several minutes of Yizkor and then exited.
His limousine awaited him right outside. The shocking absurdity shouted to the skies, arousing the rancor of many of the worshipers. HaRav Weinberg was displeased at this reaction and chastised the congregation for their behavior. One must not abuse this Jew, he told the congregants, despite his outrageous behavior, because his Jewish sentiment was deep and strong despite everything. So long as this spark is still burning, it can still develop into a full-fledged feeling at some future time.
Rav Weingurt continues:
"Several years ago, I was asked to speak in Modi'in to a group of young people which used to meet every motzei Shabbos in a private home. The topic I chose was kibbud horim. I told the story of Rav Weinberg when, suddenly, one youth spoke up. "Were you referring to Rathenau? I am related to him, a descendant of his father!"
To this very day, Rav Weingurt is moved whenever he is reminded of the Divine Providence here — how he found his way to Modi'in to deliver a lecture precisely on the subject of kibbud av which included the story about Rathenau. Who would have believed that a young man from Modi'in, shomer mitzvos, would attend that lecture and stand on his feet to testify that he was a descendant? The small spark had indeed been ignited to a steady flame!
Rav Weingurt looked into the family, he learned that Emil, whose son Walter had recited Yizkor for him, did have a son and daughter. Walter never married but Emil's daughter had a son who once visited the shul in Hamburg and was captivated by the melodies of the prayers. He decided to emigrate to Israel and became a baal teshuva.
His son followed the example and became a fully observant Jew. His son, Emil's great-grandson, discovered the power of a single Yizkor, being a living example of it.
