Auction 90 Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Letters, Ceremonial Art
Printed Proclamation Addressing the Jews, Issued by the Authorities – Frankfurt am Main, 1797
Opening: $500
Sold for: $625
Including buyer's premium
Printed proclamation addressing the Jews, issued by the authorities. [Frankfurt am Main?], 1797. German in Hebrew characters (Tsene Rene characters).
Proclamation announced in the synagogue on Friday night, Parashat Vaetchanan 1797, with two directives from the mayor. The first directive calls upon the Jews not to neglect their duties, to improve their ways and to obey the regulations pertaining to parties.
The second instruction mentions the serious state of the city after the French siege a year earlier, as well as the fire which severely damaged the city, especially the Jewish area. As a result, many families lost all their possessions, and a great shortage ensued. The authorities therefore call to significantly limit nonessentials, such as luxurious clothing worn by Jewish women and girls (which was considered to be against moral values in times of scarcity).
It is not known which city this edict was published in, though the mention of the French siege and the fire which affected the Jewish area correspond with what is known to us about Frankfurt am Main of that period. In 1796, Frankfurt am Main was bombarded by the French army, and one hundred and forty houses in on the Jews' street were destroyed. That same year, the Jews of Frankfurt am Main were permitted to live amongst the Christians, which may have resulted in the present proclamation.
[1] leaf. Approx. 27.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Tiny marginal tears. Folding marks. Stamps on verso (including stamp of Leizer Ran, historian and collector).
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Proclamation announced in the synagogue on Friday night, Parashat Vaetchanan 1797, with two directives from the mayor. The first directive calls upon the Jews not to neglect their duties, to improve their ways and to obey the regulations pertaining to parties.
The second instruction mentions the serious state of the city after the French siege a year earlier, as well as the fire which severely damaged the city, especially the Jewish area. As a result, many families lost all their possessions, and a great shortage ensued. The authorities therefore call to significantly limit nonessentials, such as luxurious clothing worn by Jewish women and girls (which was considered to be against moral values in times of scarcity).
It is not known which city this edict was published in, though the mention of the French siege and the fire which affected the Jewish area correspond with what is known to us about Frankfurt am Main of that period. In 1796, Frankfurt am Main was bombarded by the French army, and one hundred and forty houses in on the Jews' street were destroyed. That same year, the Jews of Frankfurt am Main were permitted to live amongst the Christians, which may have resulted in the present proclamation.
[1] leaf. Approx. 27.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Tiny marginal tears. Folding marks. Stamps on verso (including stamp of Leizer Ran, historian and collector).
PLEASE NOTE: Item description was shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Jewish Communities – Books and Letters
Jewish Communities – Books and Letters