ABSTRACT
The case of 'Jewish identity' in Vienna between 1867 and 1938, apart from being an exciting story in itself, provides an excellent example of all of the complexities and conundrums attaching to the notion of identity. The Jewish experience in Vienna around 1900 is a rich and variegated theme that has drawn enormous attention from scholars, especially in recent years. Moreover, the history of the Viennese Jewish experience is itself deeply embedded in late Habsburg history, which is itself a labyrinth, as is frequently emphasized in the literature. Alleging that all forms of antisemitism are identical is as distorting as the thesis that only religious Jews are Jews. By 1900, literary culture had replaced scientific culture in the eyes of many of the scions of enlightened Jewish families. Aestheticism became a kind of 'religion' for the sons of many fin de siecle Viennese liberals.
