Wilhelm Filderman – un studiu de caz în problematica leadershipului comunitar evreiesc
Wilhelm Filderman: A Case Study in Jewish Communal Leadership

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the leadership trajectory of Wilhelm Filderman, the most influential Jewish leader in Romania during the first half of the twentieth century. It contextualizes his formation within the Romanian-Jewish tradition of communal self-organization and the broader shift from classical kehila structures to modern civil-society institutions. The study highlights Filderman’s meritocratic ascent, shaped by secular education, liberal humanism, and early political engagement. It analyzes his responses to the escalating antisemitism of interwar Romania, culminating in a strategy of shtadlanut – direct petitioning and negotiation with political authorities. The article explores his pivotal role during the Holocaust, when his capacity for action was constrained but symbolically vital for the Jewish population. It further examines his post-1944 efforts to rebuild communal life and resist communist co-optation. Through this case study, the article reflects on the limits and possibilities of Jewish leadership under fragile democracies and authoritarian regimes.

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