FRIEDEMANN, ADOLF

FRIEDEMANN, ADOLF (1871–1932), one of Herzl's first supporters. Born in Berlin, Friedemann was a founder of the Juedische Humanitaetsgesellschaft in Berlin (1893), which later developed into the Jewish Student Zionist Organization in Germany (1895). When Herzl became active in Jewish affairs, Friedemann was his faithful companion, carrying out various missions on his behalf and accompanying him on his trip to Egypt in connection with the El-Arish Project (1902). He was a member of the Zionist General Council from 1903 to 1920, and after the Keren Hayesod was established, worked in its behalf in several countries. Friedemann published numerous articles and books on Zionism and Ereẓ Israel. His book Das Leben Theodor Herzls (1914) was the first biography of the founder of political Zionism to be published in book form. Other books are Was will der Zionismus (1903), Reisebilder aus Palaestina (1904, with illustrations by H. Struck), and a biography David Wolffsohn (1916). He was also the chief editor of the first lexicon of Zionism, Zionistisches ABC Buch (1908). He died in Amsterdam. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: T. Herzl, Complete Diaries, 5 vols. (1960), index; R. Lichtheim, Die Geschichte des deutschen Zionismus (1954). ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Y. Eloni, Zionismus in Deutschland (1987); H. Lavsky, Before Catastrophe – The Distinctive Path of German Zionism (1996). (Getzel Kressel)