Jews and nation building in Germany, 1815-1918

The number of Jews who helped to fashion the ideas and institutions of German national unity was remarkable, as they never amounted to more than 1% of the German population. European Jews were prominent in the movements of the liberal and socialist left. There was a strong degree of participation in public politics, and also a bias in favour of egalitarian ideals, of the rule of law and of mutual respect within an advanced society