1. You have your continents mixed up. In Asia it is good. In Germany it is terrible.
2. Rav Hirsch has been dead for over 140 years. Even with live rabbis, there are arguments over what they said. There are even arguments in the Gemara over what a certain rabbi said with each person swearing that he is correct.
3. Austritt was forming a separate religious community recognized by the Prussian government. The reason was practical. The Reformers who controlled the established community did not want to maintain the mikva or provide kosher food.
4.Today there are two Americas. The Obamanation, which you mentioned, and the traditional “Leave it to Beaver” America. I agree with you about the former but not the latter. IMHO, this is why the left is anti-Israel and anti-Semitic and the right (other than a few nuts who cannot possibly be called conservatives) pro-Israel and pro-Jewish.
5. BTW, Rav Azriel Hildesheimer also advocated studying general culture. In his seminary talmidim were required to also earn university degrees. Among them were Rav Soloveichik, who earned a doctorate in philosophy and the last Lubavitcher Rebbe, who studied mathematics, physics, and philosophy
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