http://forward.com/articles/190120/two-world-wars-face-major-milestones-in-/
Numerologists and war buffs have much to anticipate this year thanks to an unusual confluence of commemorative events. 2014 marks both the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I and the 75th anniversary of the start of World War II.
Given the enormous attention that numerically significant anniversaries have acquired in Western culture, the “golden” and “diamond” anniversaries of the 20th century’s two greatest conflicts will offer myriad opportunities for historical reflection.
This is especially true for Jews. Both wars profoundly shaped 20th century Jewish history. Yet until now, World War II has occupied a disproportionate place in Jewish memory. There is good reason for this — most notably, the Holocaust, whose effects are still in living memory. But the simultaneous commemorations will return World War I to the forefront of Jewish attention.
Among other things, the dual anniversaries will provide the opportunity to establish intriguing juxtapositions between the two conflicts. In the summer of 2014, for example, we will be able to reflect on how, 75 and 100 years earlier, German Jews perceived the outbreak of the two wars in entirely differently fashions. In 1914, German Jews shared in the larger nationalist euphoria, with poet Ernst Lissauer leading the nationalistic propaganda campaign against England (with his infamous “Hymn of Hate”) and 100,000 of his compatriots eventually serving on the front. In 1939, by contrast, German Jews viewed the commencement of hostilities with acute trepidation, having become the victims of nationalistic propaganda and losing some 250,000 of their compatriots to emigration.