Institut Zur Förderung Der Israelitischen Literatur

Society, founded by Ludwig Philippson, for the promotion of Jewish literature. The books published by the society were issued from Leipsic. On Feb. 12, 1855, an article by Philippson appeared in the "Allg. Zeit. des Jud.," proposing the creation of a Jewish publication society. On May 1 following, the society began its active existence with a membership of twelve hundred subscribers, which increased to two thousand during the year. The annual subscription of two thalers entitled each member to the works published within the year. A committee of three, Ludwig Phillippson of Magdeburg, Adolph Jellinek of Leipsic, and Isaac Markus Jost of Frankfort-on-the-Main, selected the works for publication and awarded honoraria to the authors. In 1856, when Jellinek was called to Vienna, he was succeeded by M. A. Goldschmidt. On the death of Jost (1860) L. Herzfeld of Brunswick became a member of the committee. In 1855 the Austrian government issued a prohibition against joining the society (Frankl-Grün, "Gesch. der Juden in Kremsier," ii. 28), and Philippson was expelled from Austrian territory when he was on a tour in Milan, 1858 ("Allg. Zeit. des Jud." 1868, p. 428). The society existed for eighteen years, chiefly through the untiring efforts of its founder; and its membership reached at total of about three thousand. It published, in German, about eighty works of Jewish history, science, poetry, fiction, and biography, including the following:

  * Grace Aguilar: "Henriquez Morales."
  * "Amerikanische Skizzen" (anonymous).
  * Bernhard Beer: "Das Leben Abraham's und das Leben Moses' nach Jüdischen Legenden."
  * "Bibliothek der Griechischen und Römischen Schriftsteller über Judenthum und Juden."
  * Boxberger: "Bar Cochba."
  * David Cassel: "Gesch. der Jüdischen Literatur."
  * Erckmann-Chatrian: "Die Blokade von Pfalzburg."
  * Benjamin Disraeli: "Alroy."
  * L. A. Frankl: "Reise nach Jerusalem"; "Der Primator";
  * "Die Ahnenbilder."
  * Frankolm (pseudonym, "Rispart"): "Die Juden und die Kreuzfahrer Unter Richard."
  * Frey: "Erzählungen."
  * Julius Fürst: "Gesch. des Karäerthums."
  * A. Geiger: "Divan Gabirol's"; "Parschandatha"; "Jüdische Dichtungen."
  * H. Grätz; "Gesch. der Juden" (vols. iii., v.-x.).
  * J. Hamburger: "Geist der Hagada."
  * L. Herzfeld: "Gesch. des Volkes Israel" (2 vols.); "Metrologische Untersuchungen" and "Ueber die Kunst bei den Hebräern."
  * Honigmann: "Das Grab zu Sabioneta."
  * "Jahrbuch für Gesch. des Judenthums und der Juden."
  * Josephus: "Kleinere Schriften."
  * I. M. Jost: "Gesch. des Judenthums und Seiner Sekten."
  * M. Kayserling: "Gesch. der Juden in Portugal"; "Moses Mendelssohn."
  * Julius Kossarski: "Titus."
  * E. Kulke: "Jüdische Geschichten."
  * Antoïne Levy: "Die Exegese bei den Franzosen."
  * M. A. Levy: "Gesch. der Jüdischen Münzen."
  * L. M. Lewysohn: "Das Jüdische Kalenderwesen."
  * Leopold Löw: "Zur Jüdischen Alterthumskunde."
  * S. Munk: "Palästina," (translated by M. A. Levy).
  * A. Neubauer: "Aus der Petersburger Bibliothek."
  * Oelsner: "Sabbathai Bassista."
  * Ludwig Philippson: "Saron"; "Sepphoris und Rom"; "Jacob Tirado"; "An den Strömen"; "Die Entthronten"; "Ausführliche Darstellung der Israelitischen Religionslebre"; "Weltbewegende Fragen"; "Reden Wider den Unglauben"; "Die Entwickelung der Rcligiösen Idee im Judenthume, Christenthume, und Islam"; "Die Religlon der Gesellschaft"; "Israelitisches Gebetbuch."
  * Phöbus, Philippson: "Biographische Skizzen"; "Der Unbekannte Rabbi"; "Die Marannen"; "Veilchen Jacob"; "Rachel"; "In Banden Frei."
  * Philo: Part of his writings in vol. iv. of "Bibliothek der Griechischen und Römischen Schriftsteller."
  * L. Seligmann: "Giuseppe Levi's Parabeln aus Talmud und Midrasch."
  * M. Wassermann: "Judah Touro."
  * M. Wiener: "Emech Habacha."
  * I. Wiesner: "Der Bann bei den Juden."
  * B. Willstädter: "Ueber Jüdische Stiftungen."
  * A. A. Wolff: "Piutim."



The society also contributed financially to the publication of a number of works, among them being: "Liḳḳuṭe Ḳadmoniyyot" (S. Pinsker); "Zoologie des Talmuds (L. L. Lewysohn); "Kerem Ḥemed," vol. ix.; "Vorlesungen über Offenbarungslehre" (Steinheim); "Die Religiöse Poesie der Juden in Spanien" (Michael Sachs); "Der Gerichtliche Beweis nach Mosaisch-Talmudischem Rechte" (Z. Frankel); "Beiträge zur Literaturgesch." (Zunz).

Bibliography:

  * Allg. Zeit. des Jud. 1855-73.



D. S. Man.