Eugen Mittwoch Mittwoch was the leading orientalist in Germany, and the founder of a more politically oriented, modern science of Middle East Studies, in contrast to the traditional philologic, apolitical approach very much influenced by Goethe. In 1924, Mittwoch stayed in Jerusalem, where he participated in the founding of a Department for Semitic Studies at Hebrew University. Since he was the leading specialist on Ethiopian languages world-wide, Mittwoch did not lose his academic position in 1933 immediately like almost all his Jewish colleagues in Germany did at that time. This had to do with a special intervention by Mussolini with Hitler on
German Unity Day the first Prussian coronation of the king, which should not fall into the shadow of a united German holiday." On 31 July 1919, the Weimar Constitution would be accepted in its form by the Weimar National Congress. In memorial of this "Hour of birth of democracy", the 11 August was created as Constitution Day, because the President of the Empire, Friedrich Ebert, signed the constitution on this day. Shortly after the Nazis took power in 1933 (the so-called "Machtergreifung"), May Day (1 May) was established as a national holiday in the "German Reich". It was already celebrated as a "Day