Moritz Goldstein (b. 1880) was a German intellectual who wrote an article that was published in the arts journal Kunstwart (in 1912) with the title “Deutsch-juedischer Parnass” (German-Jewish Parnassus). As Goldstein put it, "We Jews administer the spiritual possessions of a people that denies us the right and the capability of doing so." After admitting to Jewish influence on the press and in the literary world, Goldstein re-emphasised the insuperable rift between the Jewish “adminstrators” of German culture, who believed they were speaking for and to the Germans, and the Germans themselves, who considered such presumption insufferable. What, then, was the way out? Zionism, Goldstein thought, was not the option for people of his background and generation. In an emotional and most emphatic fashion, he called instead for an act of courage on the part of the Jews of Germany: that, in spite of their deep feelings for Germany and all things German, in spite of their centuries-long presence in the land, they must turn their backs on the host society and stop vowing ever-renewed and ever-unrequited love. On the cultural level Jews should now turn to Jewish issues, not only for their own sake but to create a new type of Jew, new not in life but in literature. Goldstein's closing was on an emotional par with the rest: We demand recognition of a tragedy that, with a heavy heart, we have exposed to all.

Goldstein's sharp diagnosis/tearful lament induced the editor of Kunstwart, Ferdinand Avenarius, to produce in the August issue a long comment entitled “Aussprachen mit Juden” (Debates with Jews). We are not anti-Semites, he wrote. We know that there are domains in which the Jews are more able than we are, and that we have greater ability in others; we hope that with good will on both sides, peaceful co-operation will be possible, but we are convinced that relations cannot continue much longer in their present form. Avenarius called for some sort of “negotiation” between “leaders” of both sides in order to avoid bitter cultural battles [Kulturkaempfe] ... Given the growing excitement [Avenarius did not specify whose], he did not believe that success could easily be achieved. The argument was clear, the “we” and “they” even clearer. But as to the basic facts (though obviously not their interpretation), both Goldstein and (implicitly) Avenarius were not entirely wrong.