Judaism
Special collection 7.7 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
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General information, history of the collection
The Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt a.M. owns the largest collection of literature on Judaism and Israel in the Federal Republic of Germany. Since 1949 the special collection Wissenschaft vom Judentum has acquired all the relevant national and international publications on all aspects of post biblical judaism in a most comprehensive manner. The special collection Landeskunde Israel (SSG 7.6) was added in 1964. This comprises all publications on the modern state of Israel.
The basis of the stock is formed by the Hebraica and Judaica Collection which was founded at the end of the 19th Century with the generous support of Frankfurt Jews. The curator, Professor Aron Freimann, who looked after the collection from 1898 till 1933, made it the largest and most significant Judaica collection of the European continent before the war. During National Socialism the collection did not suffer any losses.
Tragically almost all the Hebrew books - with the exception of a few special valuable Hebrew units - were burnt during World War II. The Judaica Old Stocks, containing 20.000 volumes, were rescued and are indexed in a catalogue compiled by Aron Freimann.
The following Hebrew old stocks have been saved:
- the collection of Hebrew manuscripts
- hebrew incunablia
- the collection of Jewish-German Prints
Meanwhile the collection has extended to more than 100.000 units. Continuously new monographs, periodicals, microfilms and microfiche collections, theses on request, scientific reports are added by acquistions world wide. Hebrew publications are acquired extensively. The annual growth, including that of the Special Collection Israel, amounts to 5.000 units. 460 foreign and 40 german periodicals are collected.
In the Special Collection Wissenschaft vom Judentum (Science of Judaism) all publications on all aspects of post-biblical Judaism excluding the Modern State of Israel are collected without territorial restrictions.
regionally: the history of Jews in all countries of the world since the 4th Century BC
thematically:
- Judaism in its varios streams
- Jewish philosophy
- Middle and modern Hebrew language and literature
- Yiddish language and literature
- Jewish history, including history of the humanities, social history and economic history
- Persecution of the Jews, including antisemitism and holocaust
- Politics, constitution and administration of the Jewish communities
- Publications of Jewish political movements
- Pedagogy and education
- Jewish Law (The Halacha)
- Jewish music, theatre and the arts
- Medicine, natural sciences and technology within the context of Judaism
cross references to other special collections:
- Biblical Judaism: see SSG 1 Theologie (Theology)
- Old Hebrew and biblical Hebrew and general Hebraism see SSG 6.23 Vorderer Orient einschließlich Nordafrika (Middle East incl. North Africa)
- Israel: see SSG 7.6 Israel
Catalogues, new acquisition lists
The Judaism holdings at the Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt a.M. are recorded in the general library catalogues. Periodicals are listed completely in the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB). Hebrew titles are transliterated.
Furthermore, the library provides the user with the facility for collating his/her own list of new acquisitions in the SSG Judaism.
Special printed catalogues
Hebrew manuscripts
Ernst Róth ; Leo Prijs, Hebräische Handschriften.Die Handschriften der Stadt und Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt am Main. Bd. 1-3. Wiesbaden, Stuttgart 1982-1993
Hebrew incunablia:
Kurt Ohly ; Vera Sack, Inkunabelkatalog der Stadt und Universitätsbibliothek und
anderer öffentlicher Sammlungen in Frankfurt am Main. Frankfurt a.M. 1967
Jewish-German Prints:
Verzeichnis der Jiddischen Drucke. Bestände der Sondersammelgebietsbibliothek. Frankfurt a.M. 1993
List of periodicals:
Zeitschriftenverzeichnis Judaica. Frankfurt a.M. 1992
Most of the books are not directly accessible but are kept in closed stacks and have to be ordered a few days in advance per order slip.
External users ought to inquire first of all by post, fax or email whether the books are available or they should contact the collection specialist (Tel.:+49+69/798-39 665), the Info desk (Tel.: +49+69/798-39 205) or the Reading Room (Tel.: +49+69/798-39 247).
TheJudaism Reading Room is a special reading room with limited opening times.
Literature on Israel is in the Reading Room under the following location marks: HB 24/ or HM 24/ and consists of mainly bibliographies, reference works, introductory literature and periodicals.
Heuberger, Rachel:
Bibliothek des Judentums : Die Hebraica- und Judaica-Sammlung der Stadt- und
Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt am Main. Entstehung, Geschichte und heutige Aufgaben.
Frankfurt am Main : Klostermann 1996
(Frankfurter Bibliotheksschriften 4)
ISBN 3-465-02863-5
Heuberger, Rachel:
Die Bestände der Judaica- Sammlung auf dem Weg ins Internet : zwei Digitalisierungsprojekte an der Stadt- und Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt a. M.
In: Tribüne, 39. Jg., 2000, Heft 154
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