Monatsschrift Für Die Geschichte Und Wissenschaft Des Judenthums

The oldest and most important monthly devoted to the science of Judaism. It was founded by Zacharias Frankel in Dresden in the year 1851, in continuation of his "Zeitschrift für die Religiösen Interessen des Judenthums," which had been suppressed in 1846. Frankel believed that the objects striven for in the contest of 1848 had been attained, and that the Jews no longer had separate political interests. He therefore considered that the time had arrived for them to undertake a scientific investigation of their history and literature.

The first seventeen volumes of the "Monatsschrift were edited by Frankel, who was succeeded by the historian Heinrich Graftz. The latter edited vols. xviii. to xxxvi. inclusive, being assisted by Pinkus Frankl of Berlin in vols. xxxiii. to xxxv. Publication was stopped in 1887, but was resumed in 1892, with M. Braun and David Kaufmann as joint editors (vols. xxxvii. to xliii.). Upon Kaufmann's death (1899) Braun became sole editor. Since Jan., 1904, the "Monatsschrift" has appeared as the organ of the Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaft des Judenthums.

The "Monatsschrif" was first published in Dresden. Some volumes were then issued at Krotoschin and some at Berlin; but the greatest number appeared in Breslau. A complete table of contents for the first seventeen volumes is appended to vol. xvii., and a similar table for the years 1869 to 1887 is given at the end of vol. xxxvi. This table has been published separately also.

Bibliography:

  * Monatsschrift, vol. i., Preface;
  * S. P. Rabbinowitz, Zacharias Frankel (in Hebrew), pp. 143 et seq., Warsaw, 1898.
  * An exhaustive criticism, by Atlas, of vol. xxxiii. appears in Ha-Asif, ii. 432-450.



S. P. Wi.