A Nazi Visits Palestine: The Collaboration Between Nazis and Zionists in 1933

How Shared Interests in Jewish Emigration Led to One of History’s Most Controversial Agreements

Berlin, 1933 – In the shadow of Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the enactment of anti-Semitic policies, an unusual collaboration unfolded between the Nazi regime and the Zionist movement. This unexpected partnership, rooted in shared but vastly different goals, involved a six-month journey by SS officer Leopold von Mildenstein to Palestine, alongside Kurt Tuchler, a Jewish lawyer and member of the Zionist Federation of Germany (ZVfD).

The trip, aimed at exploring the potential for Jewish emigration to Palestine, would later result in Mildenstein publishing a series of articles in the Nazi propaganda newspaper Der Angriff. These writings praised the Zionist endeavor to establish a Jewish homeland, framing it as a model for solving what Nazis referred to as the "Jewish Question."

The Journey to Palestine

In 1933, the Zionist Federation of Germany sought pragmatic solutions to the persecution of Jews under Nazi rule. Zionist leaders, including Kurt Tuchler, believed demonstrating the success of Jewish resettlement in Palestine could convince the Nazi regime to facilitate Jewish emigration rather than violent oppression.

Leopold von Mildenstein, a mid-level SS officer with an interest in Middle Eastern affairs, agreed to the expedition. Over six months, the duo traveled through Palestine, visiting Jewish settlements, kibbutzim, and industrial zones. Mildenstein observed the industriousness of Zionist pioneers, particularly their agricultural projects, and noted their alignment with some of the Nazi Party’s ideas on nationalism and racial purity—though from entirely different ideological perspectives.

The Articles in Der Angriff

Upon his return to Germany, Mildenstein wrote a series of 12 articles titled *"A Nazi Visits Palestine