Horkheimer’s cautious tactical maneuvering stemmed from Jewish insecurity

Evidence

It was a hesitant, reserved return home, although both Horkheimer and Adorno later travelled to the United States on several occasions in order to preserve their American citizenship. To act for strategic purposes and remain inwardly undecided was characteristic of Horkheimer; it was his way of reacting to the Jewish condition (an expression to be seen as analogous to Simone Weil’s `condition ouvrière’), a condition in which achieving a forever fragile sense of security demanded Machiavellian skill. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 1744

Categorization

• XREF: Relates to exile/return dynamics of émigré intellectuals returning to postwar Germany, parallel to Horkheimer’s later refusal of honorary citizenship and debates about German guilt. — connects to: Fear drove Horkheimer to keep the Institute impressive while prioritizing private theory work — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 1043; Horkheimer’s strategic indecision reflected a Jewish condition requiring Machiavellian skill for security — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 1744; Horkheimer’s fear of unprotected exile drove the Institute’s outwardly energetic but directionless survival — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 1043 (+5 more)
• DEFINE: Introduces Horkheimer’s concept of the ‘Jewish condition’ analogous to Simone Weil’s ‘condition ouvrière’ — permanent fragile insecurity.

Broader Connections

• Horkheimer’s fear of ruthless critique drove him to reactionary political positions #expands (0.75) — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 2016