26
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34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Page 1: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 126

Jiddistik heute

ה סעידו ש עשיד יי

Yiddish Studies Today

לק

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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J i d d i s t i k

E d i t i o n amp F o r s c h u n g

Y i d d i s h

E d i t i o

n s amp R e s e a r c h

ג

שרא

ןא

א

א

ש

דיי

ISBN 978-3-943460-09-4

9 783943 460094

Der vorliegende Sammelband לeroumlffnet eine neue Reihe wissenschaftli-cher Studien zur Jiddistik sowie philolo-

gischer Editionen und Studienausgaben

jiddischer Literatur Jiddisch Englisch

und Deutsch stehen als Publikationsspra-

chen gleichberechtigt nebeneinander

Leket erscheint anlaumlsslich des

Symposiums fuumlr Jiddische Studien

in Deutschland ein im Jahre von

Erika Timm und Marion Aptroot alsfuumlr das in Deutschland noch junge Fach

Jiddistik und dessen interdisziplinaumlren

Umfeld ins Leben gerufenes Forum

Die im Band versammelten Essays zur

jiddischen Literatur- Sprach- und Kul-

turwissenschaft von Autoren aus Europa

den Kanada und Israel vermitteln

ein Bild von der Lebendigkeit und Viel-

falt jiddistischer Forschung heute

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

ו ש ר א ס און ע ב א סיוא יש ד יי

Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung

Yiddish Editions amp Research

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Herausgegeben von

Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-Ed

Roland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Yiddish Studies Today

ישע שטודיעס ה ט ד יי לקט

Jiddistik heute

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Yidish oysgabes un forshung Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung Yiddish Editions amp Research

Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

Leket yidishe shtudyes haynt Leket Jiddistik heute

Leket

Yiddish Studies Today

Bibliogra10486781048681sche Information Der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deut-schen Nationalbibliogra10486781048681e detaillierte bibliogra10486781048681sche Daten sind im Internetuumlber httpdnbd-nbde abru983142983138ar

copy duumlsseldorf university press Duumlsseldorf 2012 Alle Rechte vorbehalten Das Werk einschlieszliglich aller seiner Teile ist urhe-

berrechtlich geschuumltzt Jede Verwertung ist ohne Zustimmung des Verlagsunzulaumlssig Das gilt insbesondere fuumlr Vervielfaumlltigungen Uumlbersetzungen

Mikrover10486781048681lmungen und die Einspeicherung in elektronische Systeme

Typogra10486781048681e Satz Umschlag Efrat Gal-EdDruck und Bindung Druckerei C H Beck NoumlrdlingenHauptschriften Brill Hadassah EFPapier 100 gm2 Geese-Spezial-Offfset

ISBN 978-3-943460-09-4 ISSN 2194-8879URN urnnbndehbz061-20120814-125211-1

Printed in Germany

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In a 1931 speech given in Berlin to a group of Eastern European Jewishintellectuals who had gathered together to establish the 10486781048681rst ever com-prehensive Yiddish language encyclopedia the historian Simon Dub-

now spoke of the potential audience for such an important undertak-ing As Dubnow saw it the encyclopedia which was to commemoratethe milestone of his seventieth birthday a year earlier had the potentialto unify and enlighten the vast Yiddish-speaking world Dubnow opti-mistically remarked on that February day 1

By contrast nearly three dozen years later in 1966 the Polish-born cul-tural activist Iser Goldberg wrote in much more modest and subduedterms in the Foreword of the twelfth and 10486781048681nal Yiddish volume of theencyclopedia that was now housed in New York 2

This paper originally began as a talk given at the conference ldquo Transforming a Culture between

Soft Covers Yiddish Journals in the New World rdquo held at the University of California Los Ange-les in 2009 I am grateful to Professors Jeremy Dauber and David N Myers as well as the 983157983139983148983137Center for Jewish Studies for the opportunity to participate in that conference I also thank Jefffrey Shandler Barbara Schmutzler and Marisa Elana James for their suggestions and as-sistance and the University at Albany rsquo s Center for Jewish Studies for its support

1 Simon Dubnow ע א ד ע פ אלק צנע ע צו א ד ע פ אלק צנע עש ד ו געקומע מ ר זנע אזו וו ד ש Central Archives of the History of the Jewish People ( Simon Dubnow Papers folder 1 ) All translations are the author rsquo s unless otherwise noted2 Goldberg 1966 ( unpaginated )

Barry Trachtenberg

Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo

Pre-war European Yiddish Serials and the Transition to Post- Khurbn America

An encyclopedia is a people rsquo s-book andeach nation must have one A people 10million of whom speak in Yiddish musthave an encyclopedia in their own lan-guage

וואס סבוך ק ל א א א ז ע ד ע פ אלק צנע א10 וואס אלק א האב א ם דארף עדער א האב מוז ד ש או ף ר ד מענטש מ ל א

א גענער שפראך ז ף וא ע ד ע פ אלק צנע

We bring this volume to the thousands ofreaders and subscribers in Jewish com-munities all over the whole world and

ל טו זנטער ד צו באנד דעם ברענגע מ ר ם וש ד שע אלע א נט ע נ אבא או ענערס מ ר הא אז דורך ר וועלט או ע ר אג רעד רעב א

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566 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

The vast gulf that separates these two statements about the anticipatedaudiences for ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א is more than simply geographicדand chronological It is a chasm that is marked by rupture and previous-ly unimaginable violence Any accounting of the loss that was enduredby European Jewry must not only include the number of lives destroyedbut must acknowledge that the Nazi Holocaust broke almost fully thehistorical continuity of a people with thousands of years of cultural

creativity on the continent Indeed it is almost impossible to conceiveof twentieth-century European Jewish history without it being entirelyovershadowed by the breach that occurred In terms of Yiddish printculture Europe between the two world wars was home to a vast array ofpopular literary artistic and scholarly journals in the Yiddish language Although in some regions the use of Yiddish was declining owing to itsspeakersrsquo linguistic acculturation the years 1919 ndash 1939 marked the pin-nacle of Yiddish cultural creativity In Poland for example there weremore than 1700 Yiddish periodicals published in this time3 With veryfew exceptions ndash and these were mostly within the Soviet sphere oramong Displaced Persons ndash the Yiddish press on the European conti-nent came to a near-end during World War 983145983145 and the Nazi Holocaust

For a period of time the magnitude of this loss dissuaded manyhistorians of the Jews from engaging with the Holocaust and converse-ly deterred historians of the Holocaust from contending with the con-tours of those civilizations that were destroyed A consequence of this isthat Jewish history itself has at times been represented as an containinginterregnum that brackets offf the years 1939 ndash 1945 as if they existed out-side of normal historical development4 Given that it is nearly impos-sible to represent this period in ways other than through the languageof loss and annihilation it is worthwhile to note the presence of the very few frayed threads of continuity that do bind the pre-war and post- war periods together and to examine those cultural projects that began

in Europe in the optimistic years following World War 983145 and continuedthrough World War 983145983145 and after in the United States This essay high-lights two cases of pre-war Yiddish serials that were able to continuepublishing during and after World War 983145983145 by transitioning to the United

3 Bacon 2008 14024 In this regard the history of the Jews in this period parallels some of the issues raisedin the 1980s during the Historikerstreit among German historians over the issue of whetherthe Nazi period marks a rupture within the German past Also see Engel 2010

we hope that with it we have made animportant contribution to the growingkhurbn literature

צושטער א וו כט ק מ ר געמאכט האב דעם ר ו ט ארעט ל ר חורב ע ט ג ו ו צ ר א צו דער

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 2: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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J i d d i s t i k

E d i t i o n amp F o r s c h u n g

Y i d d i s h

E d i t i o

n s amp R e s e a r c h

ג

שרא

ןא

א

א

ש

דיי

ISBN 978-3-943460-09-4

9 783943 460094

Der vorliegende Sammelband לeroumlffnet eine neue Reihe wissenschaftli-cher Studien zur Jiddistik sowie philolo-

gischer Editionen und Studienausgaben

jiddischer Literatur Jiddisch Englisch

und Deutsch stehen als Publikationsspra-

chen gleichberechtigt nebeneinander

Leket erscheint anlaumlsslich des

Symposiums fuumlr Jiddische Studien

in Deutschland ein im Jahre von

Erika Timm und Marion Aptroot alsfuumlr das in Deutschland noch junge Fach

Jiddistik und dessen interdisziplinaumlren

Umfeld ins Leben gerufenes Forum

Die im Band versammelten Essays zur

jiddischen Literatur- Sprach- und Kul-

turwissenschaft von Autoren aus Europa

den Kanada und Israel vermitteln

ein Bild von der Lebendigkeit und Viel-

falt jiddistischer Forschung heute

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 326

Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

ו ש ר א ס און ע ב א סיוא יש ד יי

Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung

Yiddish Editions amp Research

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 426

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 526

Herausgegeben von

Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-Ed

Roland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Yiddish Studies Today

ישע שטודיעס ה ט ד יי לקט

Jiddistik heute

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 626

Yidish oysgabes un forshung Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung Yiddish Editions amp Research

Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

Leket yidishe shtudyes haynt Leket Jiddistik heute

Leket

Yiddish Studies Today

Bibliogra10486781048681sche Information Der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deut-schen Nationalbibliogra10486781048681e detaillierte bibliogra10486781048681sche Daten sind im Internetuumlber httpdnbd-nbde abru983142983138ar

copy duumlsseldorf university press Duumlsseldorf 2012 Alle Rechte vorbehalten Das Werk einschlieszliglich aller seiner Teile ist urhe-

berrechtlich geschuumltzt Jede Verwertung ist ohne Zustimmung des Verlagsunzulaumlssig Das gilt insbesondere fuumlr Vervielfaumlltigungen Uumlbersetzungen

Mikrover10486781048681lmungen und die Einspeicherung in elektronische Systeme

Typogra10486781048681e Satz Umschlag Efrat Gal-EdDruck und Bindung Druckerei C H Beck NoumlrdlingenHauptschriften Brill Hadassah EFPapier 100 gm2 Geese-Spezial-Offfset

ISBN 978-3-943460-09-4 ISSN 2194-8879URN urnnbndehbz061-20120814-125211-1

Printed in Germany

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 726

In a 1931 speech given in Berlin to a group of Eastern European Jewishintellectuals who had gathered together to establish the 10486781048681rst ever com-prehensive Yiddish language encyclopedia the historian Simon Dub-

now spoke of the potential audience for such an important undertak-ing As Dubnow saw it the encyclopedia which was to commemoratethe milestone of his seventieth birthday a year earlier had the potentialto unify and enlighten the vast Yiddish-speaking world Dubnow opti-mistically remarked on that February day 1

By contrast nearly three dozen years later in 1966 the Polish-born cul-tural activist Iser Goldberg wrote in much more modest and subduedterms in the Foreword of the twelfth and 10486781048681nal Yiddish volume of theencyclopedia that was now housed in New York 2

This paper originally began as a talk given at the conference ldquo Transforming a Culture between

Soft Covers Yiddish Journals in the New World rdquo held at the University of California Los Ange-les in 2009 I am grateful to Professors Jeremy Dauber and David N Myers as well as the 983157983139983148983137Center for Jewish Studies for the opportunity to participate in that conference I also thank Jefffrey Shandler Barbara Schmutzler and Marisa Elana James for their suggestions and as-sistance and the University at Albany rsquo s Center for Jewish Studies for its support

1 Simon Dubnow ע א ד ע פ אלק צנע ע צו א ד ע פ אלק צנע עש ד ו געקומע מ ר זנע אזו וו ד ש Central Archives of the History of the Jewish People ( Simon Dubnow Papers folder 1 ) All translations are the author rsquo s unless otherwise noted2 Goldberg 1966 ( unpaginated )

Barry Trachtenberg

Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo

Pre-war European Yiddish Serials and the Transition to Post- Khurbn America

An encyclopedia is a people rsquo s-book andeach nation must have one A people 10million of whom speak in Yiddish musthave an encyclopedia in their own lan-guage

וואס סבוך ק ל א א א ז ע ד ע פ אלק צנע א10 וואס אלק א האב א ם דארף עדער א האב מוז ד ש או ף ר ד מענטש מ ל א

א גענער שפראך ז ף וא ע ד ע פ אלק צנע

We bring this volume to the thousands ofreaders and subscribers in Jewish com-munities all over the whole world and

ל טו זנטער ד צו באנד דעם ברענגע מ ר ם וש ד שע אלע א נט ע נ אבא או ענערס מ ר הא אז דורך ר וועלט או ע ר אג רעד רעב א

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566 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

The vast gulf that separates these two statements about the anticipatedaudiences for ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א is more than simply geographicדand chronological It is a chasm that is marked by rupture and previous-ly unimaginable violence Any accounting of the loss that was enduredby European Jewry must not only include the number of lives destroyedbut must acknowledge that the Nazi Holocaust broke almost fully thehistorical continuity of a people with thousands of years of cultural

creativity on the continent Indeed it is almost impossible to conceiveof twentieth-century European Jewish history without it being entirelyovershadowed by the breach that occurred In terms of Yiddish printculture Europe between the two world wars was home to a vast array ofpopular literary artistic and scholarly journals in the Yiddish language Although in some regions the use of Yiddish was declining owing to itsspeakersrsquo linguistic acculturation the years 1919 ndash 1939 marked the pin-nacle of Yiddish cultural creativity In Poland for example there weremore than 1700 Yiddish periodicals published in this time3 With veryfew exceptions ndash and these were mostly within the Soviet sphere oramong Displaced Persons ndash the Yiddish press on the European conti-nent came to a near-end during World War 983145983145 and the Nazi Holocaust

For a period of time the magnitude of this loss dissuaded manyhistorians of the Jews from engaging with the Holocaust and converse-ly deterred historians of the Holocaust from contending with the con-tours of those civilizations that were destroyed A consequence of this isthat Jewish history itself has at times been represented as an containinginterregnum that brackets offf the years 1939 ndash 1945 as if they existed out-side of normal historical development4 Given that it is nearly impos-sible to represent this period in ways other than through the languageof loss and annihilation it is worthwhile to note the presence of the very few frayed threads of continuity that do bind the pre-war and post- war periods together and to examine those cultural projects that began

in Europe in the optimistic years following World War 983145 and continuedthrough World War 983145983145 and after in the United States This essay high-lights two cases of pre-war Yiddish serials that were able to continuepublishing during and after World War 983145983145 by transitioning to the United

3 Bacon 2008 14024 In this regard the history of the Jews in this period parallels some of the issues raisedin the 1980s during the Historikerstreit among German historians over the issue of whetherthe Nazi period marks a rupture within the German past Also see Engel 2010

we hope that with it we have made animportant contribution to the growingkhurbn literature

צושטער א וו כט ק מ ר געמאכט האב דעם ר ו ט ארעט ל ר חורב ע ט ג ו ו צ ר א צו דער

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 3: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

ו ש ר א ס און ע ב א סיוא יש ד יי

Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung

Yiddish Editions amp Research

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Herausgegeben von

Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-Ed

Roland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Yiddish Studies Today

ישע שטודיעס ה ט ד יי לקט

Jiddistik heute

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Yidish oysgabes un forshung Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung Yiddish Editions amp Research

Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

Leket yidishe shtudyes haynt Leket Jiddistik heute

Leket

Yiddish Studies Today

Bibliogra10486781048681sche Information Der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deut-schen Nationalbibliogra10486781048681e detaillierte bibliogra10486781048681sche Daten sind im Internetuumlber httpdnbd-nbde abru983142983138ar

copy duumlsseldorf university press Duumlsseldorf 2012 Alle Rechte vorbehalten Das Werk einschlieszliglich aller seiner Teile ist urhe-

berrechtlich geschuumltzt Jede Verwertung ist ohne Zustimmung des Verlagsunzulaumlssig Das gilt insbesondere fuumlr Vervielfaumlltigungen Uumlbersetzungen

Mikrover10486781048681lmungen und die Einspeicherung in elektronische Systeme

Typogra10486781048681e Satz Umschlag Efrat Gal-EdDruck und Bindung Druckerei C H Beck NoumlrdlingenHauptschriften Brill Hadassah EFPapier 100 gm2 Geese-Spezial-Offfset

ISBN 978-3-943460-09-4 ISSN 2194-8879URN urnnbndehbz061-20120814-125211-1

Printed in Germany

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 726

In a 1931 speech given in Berlin to a group of Eastern European Jewishintellectuals who had gathered together to establish the 10486781048681rst ever com-prehensive Yiddish language encyclopedia the historian Simon Dub-

now spoke of the potential audience for such an important undertak-ing As Dubnow saw it the encyclopedia which was to commemoratethe milestone of his seventieth birthday a year earlier had the potentialto unify and enlighten the vast Yiddish-speaking world Dubnow opti-mistically remarked on that February day 1

By contrast nearly three dozen years later in 1966 the Polish-born cul-tural activist Iser Goldberg wrote in much more modest and subduedterms in the Foreword of the twelfth and 10486781048681nal Yiddish volume of theencyclopedia that was now housed in New York 2

This paper originally began as a talk given at the conference ldquo Transforming a Culture between

Soft Covers Yiddish Journals in the New World rdquo held at the University of California Los Ange-les in 2009 I am grateful to Professors Jeremy Dauber and David N Myers as well as the 983157983139983148983137Center for Jewish Studies for the opportunity to participate in that conference I also thank Jefffrey Shandler Barbara Schmutzler and Marisa Elana James for their suggestions and as-sistance and the University at Albany rsquo s Center for Jewish Studies for its support

1 Simon Dubnow ע א ד ע פ אלק צנע ע צו א ד ע פ אלק צנע עש ד ו געקומע מ ר זנע אזו וו ד ש Central Archives of the History of the Jewish People ( Simon Dubnow Papers folder 1 ) All translations are the author rsquo s unless otherwise noted2 Goldberg 1966 ( unpaginated )

Barry Trachtenberg

Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo

Pre-war European Yiddish Serials and the Transition to Post- Khurbn America

An encyclopedia is a people rsquo s-book andeach nation must have one A people 10million of whom speak in Yiddish musthave an encyclopedia in their own lan-guage

וואס סבוך ק ל א א א ז ע ד ע פ אלק צנע א10 וואס אלק א האב א ם דארף עדער א האב מוז ד ש או ף ר ד מענטש מ ל א

א גענער שפראך ז ף וא ע ד ע פ אלק צנע

We bring this volume to the thousands ofreaders and subscribers in Jewish com-munities all over the whole world and

ל טו זנטער ד צו באנד דעם ברענגע מ ר ם וש ד שע אלע א נט ע נ אבא או ענערס מ ר הא אז דורך ר וועלט או ע ר אג רעד רעב א

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566 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

The vast gulf that separates these two statements about the anticipatedaudiences for ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א is more than simply geographicדand chronological It is a chasm that is marked by rupture and previous-ly unimaginable violence Any accounting of the loss that was enduredby European Jewry must not only include the number of lives destroyedbut must acknowledge that the Nazi Holocaust broke almost fully thehistorical continuity of a people with thousands of years of cultural

creativity on the continent Indeed it is almost impossible to conceiveof twentieth-century European Jewish history without it being entirelyovershadowed by the breach that occurred In terms of Yiddish printculture Europe between the two world wars was home to a vast array ofpopular literary artistic and scholarly journals in the Yiddish language Although in some regions the use of Yiddish was declining owing to itsspeakersrsquo linguistic acculturation the years 1919 ndash 1939 marked the pin-nacle of Yiddish cultural creativity In Poland for example there weremore than 1700 Yiddish periodicals published in this time3 With veryfew exceptions ndash and these were mostly within the Soviet sphere oramong Displaced Persons ndash the Yiddish press on the European conti-nent came to a near-end during World War 983145983145 and the Nazi Holocaust

For a period of time the magnitude of this loss dissuaded manyhistorians of the Jews from engaging with the Holocaust and converse-ly deterred historians of the Holocaust from contending with the con-tours of those civilizations that were destroyed A consequence of this isthat Jewish history itself has at times been represented as an containinginterregnum that brackets offf the years 1939 ndash 1945 as if they existed out-side of normal historical development4 Given that it is nearly impos-sible to represent this period in ways other than through the languageof loss and annihilation it is worthwhile to note the presence of the very few frayed threads of continuity that do bind the pre-war and post- war periods together and to examine those cultural projects that began

in Europe in the optimistic years following World War 983145 and continuedthrough World War 983145983145 and after in the United States This essay high-lights two cases of pre-war Yiddish serials that were able to continuepublishing during and after World War 983145983145 by transitioning to the United

3 Bacon 2008 14024 In this regard the history of the Jews in this period parallels some of the issues raisedin the 1980s during the Historikerstreit among German historians over the issue of whetherthe Nazi period marks a rupture within the German past Also see Engel 2010

we hope that with it we have made animportant contribution to the growingkhurbn literature

צושטער א וו כט ק מ ר געמאכט האב דעם ר ו ט ארעט ל ר חורב ע ט ג ו ו צ ר א צו דער

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 4: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 426

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Herausgegeben von

Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-Ed

Roland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Yiddish Studies Today

ישע שטודיעס ה ט ד יי לקט

Jiddistik heute

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 626

Yidish oysgabes un forshung Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung Yiddish Editions amp Research

Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

Leket yidishe shtudyes haynt Leket Jiddistik heute

Leket

Yiddish Studies Today

Bibliogra10486781048681sche Information Der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deut-schen Nationalbibliogra10486781048681e detaillierte bibliogra10486781048681sche Daten sind im Internetuumlber httpdnbd-nbde abru983142983138ar

copy duumlsseldorf university press Duumlsseldorf 2012 Alle Rechte vorbehalten Das Werk einschlieszliglich aller seiner Teile ist urhe-

berrechtlich geschuumltzt Jede Verwertung ist ohne Zustimmung des Verlagsunzulaumlssig Das gilt insbesondere fuumlr Vervielfaumlltigungen Uumlbersetzungen

Mikrover10486781048681lmungen und die Einspeicherung in elektronische Systeme

Typogra10486781048681e Satz Umschlag Efrat Gal-EdDruck und Bindung Druckerei C H Beck NoumlrdlingenHauptschriften Brill Hadassah EFPapier 100 gm2 Geese-Spezial-Offfset

ISBN 978-3-943460-09-4 ISSN 2194-8879URN urnnbndehbz061-20120814-125211-1

Printed in Germany

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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In a 1931 speech given in Berlin to a group of Eastern European Jewishintellectuals who had gathered together to establish the 10486781048681rst ever com-prehensive Yiddish language encyclopedia the historian Simon Dub-

now spoke of the potential audience for such an important undertak-ing As Dubnow saw it the encyclopedia which was to commemoratethe milestone of his seventieth birthday a year earlier had the potentialto unify and enlighten the vast Yiddish-speaking world Dubnow opti-mistically remarked on that February day 1

By contrast nearly three dozen years later in 1966 the Polish-born cul-tural activist Iser Goldberg wrote in much more modest and subduedterms in the Foreword of the twelfth and 10486781048681nal Yiddish volume of theencyclopedia that was now housed in New York 2

This paper originally began as a talk given at the conference ldquo Transforming a Culture between

Soft Covers Yiddish Journals in the New World rdquo held at the University of California Los Ange-les in 2009 I am grateful to Professors Jeremy Dauber and David N Myers as well as the 983157983139983148983137Center for Jewish Studies for the opportunity to participate in that conference I also thank Jefffrey Shandler Barbara Schmutzler and Marisa Elana James for their suggestions and as-sistance and the University at Albany rsquo s Center for Jewish Studies for its support

1 Simon Dubnow ע א ד ע פ אלק צנע ע צו א ד ע פ אלק צנע עש ד ו געקומע מ ר זנע אזו וו ד ש Central Archives of the History of the Jewish People ( Simon Dubnow Papers folder 1 ) All translations are the author rsquo s unless otherwise noted2 Goldberg 1966 ( unpaginated )

Barry Trachtenberg

Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo

Pre-war European Yiddish Serials and the Transition to Post- Khurbn America

An encyclopedia is a people rsquo s-book andeach nation must have one A people 10million of whom speak in Yiddish musthave an encyclopedia in their own lan-guage

וואס סבוך ק ל א א א ז ע ד ע פ אלק צנע א10 וואס אלק א האב א ם דארף עדער א האב מוז ד ש או ף ר ד מענטש מ ל א

א גענער שפראך ז ף וא ע ד ע פ אלק צנע

We bring this volume to the thousands ofreaders and subscribers in Jewish com-munities all over the whole world and

ל טו זנטער ד צו באנד דעם ברענגע מ ר ם וש ד שע אלע א נט ע נ אבא או ענערס מ ר הא אז דורך ר וועלט או ע ר אג רעד רעב א

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566 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

The vast gulf that separates these two statements about the anticipatedaudiences for ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א is more than simply geographicדand chronological It is a chasm that is marked by rupture and previous-ly unimaginable violence Any accounting of the loss that was enduredby European Jewry must not only include the number of lives destroyedbut must acknowledge that the Nazi Holocaust broke almost fully thehistorical continuity of a people with thousands of years of cultural

creativity on the continent Indeed it is almost impossible to conceiveof twentieth-century European Jewish history without it being entirelyovershadowed by the breach that occurred In terms of Yiddish printculture Europe between the two world wars was home to a vast array ofpopular literary artistic and scholarly journals in the Yiddish language Although in some regions the use of Yiddish was declining owing to itsspeakersrsquo linguistic acculturation the years 1919 ndash 1939 marked the pin-nacle of Yiddish cultural creativity In Poland for example there weremore than 1700 Yiddish periodicals published in this time3 With veryfew exceptions ndash and these were mostly within the Soviet sphere oramong Displaced Persons ndash the Yiddish press on the European conti-nent came to a near-end during World War 983145983145 and the Nazi Holocaust

For a period of time the magnitude of this loss dissuaded manyhistorians of the Jews from engaging with the Holocaust and converse-ly deterred historians of the Holocaust from contending with the con-tours of those civilizations that were destroyed A consequence of this isthat Jewish history itself has at times been represented as an containinginterregnum that brackets offf the years 1939 ndash 1945 as if they existed out-side of normal historical development4 Given that it is nearly impos-sible to represent this period in ways other than through the languageof loss and annihilation it is worthwhile to note the presence of the very few frayed threads of continuity that do bind the pre-war and post- war periods together and to examine those cultural projects that began

in Europe in the optimistic years following World War 983145 and continuedthrough World War 983145983145 and after in the United States This essay high-lights two cases of pre-war Yiddish serials that were able to continuepublishing during and after World War 983145983145 by transitioning to the United

3 Bacon 2008 14024 In this regard the history of the Jews in this period parallels some of the issues raisedin the 1980s during the Historikerstreit among German historians over the issue of whetherthe Nazi period marks a rupture within the German past Also see Engel 2010

we hope that with it we have made animportant contribution to the growingkhurbn literature

צושטער א וו כט ק מ ר געמאכט האב דעם ר ו ט ארעט ל ר חורב ע ט ג ו ו צ ר א צו דער

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

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Herausgegeben von

Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-Ed

Roland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Yiddish Studies Today

ישע שטודיעס ה ט ד יי לקט

Jiddistik heute

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Yidish oysgabes un forshung Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung Yiddish Editions amp Research

Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

Leket yidishe shtudyes haynt Leket Jiddistik heute

Leket

Yiddish Studies Today

Bibliogra10486781048681sche Information Der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deut-schen Nationalbibliogra10486781048681e detaillierte bibliogra10486781048681sche Daten sind im Internetuumlber httpdnbd-nbde abru983142983138ar

copy duumlsseldorf university press Duumlsseldorf 2012 Alle Rechte vorbehalten Das Werk einschlieszliglich aller seiner Teile ist urhe-

berrechtlich geschuumltzt Jede Verwertung ist ohne Zustimmung des Verlagsunzulaumlssig Das gilt insbesondere fuumlr Vervielfaumlltigungen Uumlbersetzungen

Mikrover10486781048681lmungen und die Einspeicherung in elektronische Systeme

Typogra10486781048681e Satz Umschlag Efrat Gal-EdDruck und Bindung Druckerei C H Beck NoumlrdlingenHauptschriften Brill Hadassah EFPapier 100 gm2 Geese-Spezial-Offfset

ISBN 978-3-943460-09-4 ISSN 2194-8879URN urnnbndehbz061-20120814-125211-1

Printed in Germany

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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In a 1931 speech given in Berlin to a group of Eastern European Jewishintellectuals who had gathered together to establish the 10486781048681rst ever com-prehensive Yiddish language encyclopedia the historian Simon Dub-

now spoke of the potential audience for such an important undertak-ing As Dubnow saw it the encyclopedia which was to commemoratethe milestone of his seventieth birthday a year earlier had the potentialto unify and enlighten the vast Yiddish-speaking world Dubnow opti-mistically remarked on that February day 1

By contrast nearly three dozen years later in 1966 the Polish-born cul-tural activist Iser Goldberg wrote in much more modest and subduedterms in the Foreword of the twelfth and 10486781048681nal Yiddish volume of theencyclopedia that was now housed in New York 2

This paper originally began as a talk given at the conference ldquo Transforming a Culture between

Soft Covers Yiddish Journals in the New World rdquo held at the University of California Los Ange-les in 2009 I am grateful to Professors Jeremy Dauber and David N Myers as well as the 983157983139983148983137Center for Jewish Studies for the opportunity to participate in that conference I also thank Jefffrey Shandler Barbara Schmutzler and Marisa Elana James for their suggestions and as-sistance and the University at Albany rsquo s Center for Jewish Studies for its support

1 Simon Dubnow ע א ד ע פ אלק צנע ע צו א ד ע פ אלק צנע עש ד ו געקומע מ ר זנע אזו וו ד ש Central Archives of the History of the Jewish People ( Simon Dubnow Papers folder 1 ) All translations are the author rsquo s unless otherwise noted2 Goldberg 1966 ( unpaginated )

Barry Trachtenberg

Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo

Pre-war European Yiddish Serials and the Transition to Post- Khurbn America

An encyclopedia is a people rsquo s-book andeach nation must have one A people 10million of whom speak in Yiddish musthave an encyclopedia in their own lan-guage

וואס סבוך ק ל א א א ז ע ד ע פ אלק צנע א10 וואס אלק א האב א ם דארף עדער א האב מוז ד ש או ף ר ד מענטש מ ל א

א גענער שפראך ז ף וא ע ד ע פ אלק צנע

We bring this volume to the thousands ofreaders and subscribers in Jewish com-munities all over the whole world and

ל טו זנטער ד צו באנד דעם ברענגע מ ר ם וש ד שע אלע א נט ע נ אבא או ענערס מ ר הא אז דורך ר וועלט או ע ר אג רעד רעב א

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566 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

The vast gulf that separates these two statements about the anticipatedaudiences for ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א is more than simply geographicדand chronological It is a chasm that is marked by rupture and previous-ly unimaginable violence Any accounting of the loss that was enduredby European Jewry must not only include the number of lives destroyedbut must acknowledge that the Nazi Holocaust broke almost fully thehistorical continuity of a people with thousands of years of cultural

creativity on the continent Indeed it is almost impossible to conceiveof twentieth-century European Jewish history without it being entirelyovershadowed by the breach that occurred In terms of Yiddish printculture Europe between the two world wars was home to a vast array ofpopular literary artistic and scholarly journals in the Yiddish language Although in some regions the use of Yiddish was declining owing to itsspeakersrsquo linguistic acculturation the years 1919 ndash 1939 marked the pin-nacle of Yiddish cultural creativity In Poland for example there weremore than 1700 Yiddish periodicals published in this time3 With veryfew exceptions ndash and these were mostly within the Soviet sphere oramong Displaced Persons ndash the Yiddish press on the European conti-nent came to a near-end during World War 983145983145 and the Nazi Holocaust

For a period of time the magnitude of this loss dissuaded manyhistorians of the Jews from engaging with the Holocaust and converse-ly deterred historians of the Holocaust from contending with the con-tours of those civilizations that were destroyed A consequence of this isthat Jewish history itself has at times been represented as an containinginterregnum that brackets offf the years 1939 ndash 1945 as if they existed out-side of normal historical development4 Given that it is nearly impos-sible to represent this period in ways other than through the languageof loss and annihilation it is worthwhile to note the presence of the very few frayed threads of continuity that do bind the pre-war and post- war periods together and to examine those cultural projects that began

in Europe in the optimistic years following World War 983145 and continuedthrough World War 983145983145 and after in the United States This essay high-lights two cases of pre-war Yiddish serials that were able to continuepublishing during and after World War 983145983145 by transitioning to the United

3 Bacon 2008 14024 In this regard the history of the Jews in this period parallels some of the issues raisedin the 1980s during the Historikerstreit among German historians over the issue of whetherthe Nazi period marks a rupture within the German past Also see Engel 2010

we hope that with it we have made animportant contribution to the growingkhurbn literature

צושטער א וו כט ק מ ר געמאכט האב דעם ר ו ט ארעט ל ר חורב ע ט ג ו ו צ ר א צו דער

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 6: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Yidish oysgabes un forshung Jiddistik Edition amp Forschung Yiddish Editions amp Research

Herausgegeben von Marion Aptroot Efrat Gal-EdRoland Gruschka und Simon Neuberg

Band 1

Leket yidishe shtudyes haynt Leket Jiddistik heute

Leket

Yiddish Studies Today

Bibliogra10486781048681sche Information Der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deut-schen Nationalbibliogra10486781048681e detaillierte bibliogra10486781048681sche Daten sind im Internetuumlber httpdnbd-nbde abru983142983138ar

copy duumlsseldorf university press Duumlsseldorf 2012 Alle Rechte vorbehalten Das Werk einschlieszliglich aller seiner Teile ist urhe-

berrechtlich geschuumltzt Jede Verwertung ist ohne Zustimmung des Verlagsunzulaumlssig Das gilt insbesondere fuumlr Vervielfaumlltigungen Uumlbersetzungen

Mikrover10486781048681lmungen und die Einspeicherung in elektronische Systeme

Typogra10486781048681e Satz Umschlag Efrat Gal-EdDruck und Bindung Druckerei C H Beck NoumlrdlingenHauptschriften Brill Hadassah EFPapier 100 gm2 Geese-Spezial-Offfset

ISBN 978-3-943460-09-4 ISSN 2194-8879URN urnnbndehbz061-20120814-125211-1

Printed in Germany

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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In a 1931 speech given in Berlin to a group of Eastern European Jewishintellectuals who had gathered together to establish the 10486781048681rst ever com-prehensive Yiddish language encyclopedia the historian Simon Dub-

now spoke of the potential audience for such an important undertak-ing As Dubnow saw it the encyclopedia which was to commemoratethe milestone of his seventieth birthday a year earlier had the potentialto unify and enlighten the vast Yiddish-speaking world Dubnow opti-mistically remarked on that February day 1

By contrast nearly three dozen years later in 1966 the Polish-born cul-tural activist Iser Goldberg wrote in much more modest and subduedterms in the Foreword of the twelfth and 10486781048681nal Yiddish volume of theencyclopedia that was now housed in New York 2

This paper originally began as a talk given at the conference ldquo Transforming a Culture between

Soft Covers Yiddish Journals in the New World rdquo held at the University of California Los Ange-les in 2009 I am grateful to Professors Jeremy Dauber and David N Myers as well as the 983157983139983148983137Center for Jewish Studies for the opportunity to participate in that conference I also thank Jefffrey Shandler Barbara Schmutzler and Marisa Elana James for their suggestions and as-sistance and the University at Albany rsquo s Center for Jewish Studies for its support

1 Simon Dubnow ע א ד ע פ אלק צנע ע צו א ד ע פ אלק צנע עש ד ו געקומע מ ר זנע אזו וו ד ש Central Archives of the History of the Jewish People ( Simon Dubnow Papers folder 1 ) All translations are the author rsquo s unless otherwise noted2 Goldberg 1966 ( unpaginated )

Barry Trachtenberg

Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo

Pre-war European Yiddish Serials and the Transition to Post- Khurbn America

An encyclopedia is a people rsquo s-book andeach nation must have one A people 10million of whom speak in Yiddish musthave an encyclopedia in their own lan-guage

וואס סבוך ק ל א א א ז ע ד ע פ אלק צנע א10 וואס אלק א האב א ם דארף עדער א האב מוז ד ש או ף ר ד מענטש מ ל א

א גענער שפראך ז ף וא ע ד ע פ אלק צנע

We bring this volume to the thousands ofreaders and subscribers in Jewish com-munities all over the whole world and

ל טו זנטער ד צו באנד דעם ברענגע מ ר ם וש ד שע אלע א נט ע נ אבא או ענערס מ ר הא אז דורך ר וועלט או ע ר אג רעד רעב א

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566 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

The vast gulf that separates these two statements about the anticipatedaudiences for ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א is more than simply geographicדand chronological It is a chasm that is marked by rupture and previous-ly unimaginable violence Any accounting of the loss that was enduredby European Jewry must not only include the number of lives destroyedbut must acknowledge that the Nazi Holocaust broke almost fully thehistorical continuity of a people with thousands of years of cultural

creativity on the continent Indeed it is almost impossible to conceiveof twentieth-century European Jewish history without it being entirelyovershadowed by the breach that occurred In terms of Yiddish printculture Europe between the two world wars was home to a vast array ofpopular literary artistic and scholarly journals in the Yiddish language Although in some regions the use of Yiddish was declining owing to itsspeakersrsquo linguistic acculturation the years 1919 ndash 1939 marked the pin-nacle of Yiddish cultural creativity In Poland for example there weremore than 1700 Yiddish periodicals published in this time3 With veryfew exceptions ndash and these were mostly within the Soviet sphere oramong Displaced Persons ndash the Yiddish press on the European conti-nent came to a near-end during World War 983145983145 and the Nazi Holocaust

For a period of time the magnitude of this loss dissuaded manyhistorians of the Jews from engaging with the Holocaust and converse-ly deterred historians of the Holocaust from contending with the con-tours of those civilizations that were destroyed A consequence of this isthat Jewish history itself has at times been represented as an containinginterregnum that brackets offf the years 1939 ndash 1945 as if they existed out-side of normal historical development4 Given that it is nearly impos-sible to represent this period in ways other than through the languageof loss and annihilation it is worthwhile to note the presence of the very few frayed threads of continuity that do bind the pre-war and post- war periods together and to examine those cultural projects that began

in Europe in the optimistic years following World War 983145 and continuedthrough World War 983145983145 and after in the United States This essay high-lights two cases of pre-war Yiddish serials that were able to continuepublishing during and after World War 983145983145 by transitioning to the United

3 Bacon 2008 14024 In this regard the history of the Jews in this period parallels some of the issues raisedin the 1980s during the Historikerstreit among German historians over the issue of whetherthe Nazi period marks a rupture within the German past Also see Engel 2010

we hope that with it we have made animportant contribution to the growingkhurbn literature

צושטער א וו כט ק מ ר געמאכט האב דעם ר ו ט ארעט ל ר חורב ע ט ג ו ו צ ר א צו דער

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 7: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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In a 1931 speech given in Berlin to a group of Eastern European Jewishintellectuals who had gathered together to establish the 10486781048681rst ever com-prehensive Yiddish language encyclopedia the historian Simon Dub-

now spoke of the potential audience for such an important undertak-ing As Dubnow saw it the encyclopedia which was to commemoratethe milestone of his seventieth birthday a year earlier had the potentialto unify and enlighten the vast Yiddish-speaking world Dubnow opti-mistically remarked on that February day 1

By contrast nearly three dozen years later in 1966 the Polish-born cul-tural activist Iser Goldberg wrote in much more modest and subduedterms in the Foreword of the twelfth and 10486781048681nal Yiddish volume of theencyclopedia that was now housed in New York 2

This paper originally began as a talk given at the conference ldquo Transforming a Culture between

Soft Covers Yiddish Journals in the New World rdquo held at the University of California Los Ange-les in 2009 I am grateful to Professors Jeremy Dauber and David N Myers as well as the 983157983139983148983137Center for Jewish Studies for the opportunity to participate in that conference I also thank Jefffrey Shandler Barbara Schmutzler and Marisa Elana James for their suggestions and as-sistance and the University at Albany rsquo s Center for Jewish Studies for its support

1 Simon Dubnow ע א ד ע פ אלק צנע ע צו א ד ע פ אלק צנע עש ד ו געקומע מ ר זנע אזו וו ד ש Central Archives of the History of the Jewish People ( Simon Dubnow Papers folder 1 ) All translations are the author rsquo s unless otherwise noted2 Goldberg 1966 ( unpaginated )

Barry Trachtenberg

Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo

Pre-war European Yiddish Serials and the Transition to Post- Khurbn America

An encyclopedia is a people rsquo s-book andeach nation must have one A people 10million of whom speak in Yiddish musthave an encyclopedia in their own lan-guage

וואס סבוך ק ל א א א ז ע ד ע פ אלק צנע א10 וואס אלק א האב א ם דארף עדער א האב מוז ד ש או ף ר ד מענטש מ ל א

א גענער שפראך ז ף וא ע ד ע פ אלק צנע

We bring this volume to the thousands ofreaders and subscribers in Jewish com-munities all over the whole world and

ל טו זנטער ד צו באנד דעם ברענגע מ ר ם וש ד שע אלע א נט ע נ אבא או ענערס מ ר הא אז דורך ר וועלט או ע ר אג רעד רעב א

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566 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

The vast gulf that separates these two statements about the anticipatedaudiences for ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א is more than simply geographicדand chronological It is a chasm that is marked by rupture and previous-ly unimaginable violence Any accounting of the loss that was enduredby European Jewry must not only include the number of lives destroyedbut must acknowledge that the Nazi Holocaust broke almost fully thehistorical continuity of a people with thousands of years of cultural

creativity on the continent Indeed it is almost impossible to conceiveof twentieth-century European Jewish history without it being entirelyovershadowed by the breach that occurred In terms of Yiddish printculture Europe between the two world wars was home to a vast array ofpopular literary artistic and scholarly journals in the Yiddish language Although in some regions the use of Yiddish was declining owing to itsspeakersrsquo linguistic acculturation the years 1919 ndash 1939 marked the pin-nacle of Yiddish cultural creativity In Poland for example there weremore than 1700 Yiddish periodicals published in this time3 With veryfew exceptions ndash and these were mostly within the Soviet sphere oramong Displaced Persons ndash the Yiddish press on the European conti-nent came to a near-end during World War 983145983145 and the Nazi Holocaust

For a period of time the magnitude of this loss dissuaded manyhistorians of the Jews from engaging with the Holocaust and converse-ly deterred historians of the Holocaust from contending with the con-tours of those civilizations that were destroyed A consequence of this isthat Jewish history itself has at times been represented as an containinginterregnum that brackets offf the years 1939 ndash 1945 as if they existed out-side of normal historical development4 Given that it is nearly impos-sible to represent this period in ways other than through the languageof loss and annihilation it is worthwhile to note the presence of the very few frayed threads of continuity that do bind the pre-war and post- war periods together and to examine those cultural projects that began

in Europe in the optimistic years following World War 983145 and continuedthrough World War 983145983145 and after in the United States This essay high-lights two cases of pre-war Yiddish serials that were able to continuepublishing during and after World War 983145983145 by transitioning to the United

3 Bacon 2008 14024 In this regard the history of the Jews in this period parallels some of the issues raisedin the 1980s during the Historikerstreit among German historians over the issue of whetherthe Nazi period marks a rupture within the German past Also see Engel 2010

we hope that with it we have made animportant contribution to the growingkhurbn literature

צושטער א וו כט ק מ ר געמאכט האב דעם ר ו ט ארעט ל ר חורב ע ט ג ו ו צ ר א צו דער

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 8: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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566 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

The vast gulf that separates these two statements about the anticipatedaudiences for ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א is more than simply geographicדand chronological It is a chasm that is marked by rupture and previous-ly unimaginable violence Any accounting of the loss that was enduredby European Jewry must not only include the number of lives destroyedbut must acknowledge that the Nazi Holocaust broke almost fully thehistorical continuity of a people with thousands of years of cultural

creativity on the continent Indeed it is almost impossible to conceiveof twentieth-century European Jewish history without it being entirelyovershadowed by the breach that occurred In terms of Yiddish printculture Europe between the two world wars was home to a vast array ofpopular literary artistic and scholarly journals in the Yiddish language Although in some regions the use of Yiddish was declining owing to itsspeakersrsquo linguistic acculturation the years 1919 ndash 1939 marked the pin-nacle of Yiddish cultural creativity In Poland for example there weremore than 1700 Yiddish periodicals published in this time3 With veryfew exceptions ndash and these were mostly within the Soviet sphere oramong Displaced Persons ndash the Yiddish press on the European conti-nent came to a near-end during World War 983145983145 and the Nazi Holocaust

For a period of time the magnitude of this loss dissuaded manyhistorians of the Jews from engaging with the Holocaust and converse-ly deterred historians of the Holocaust from contending with the con-tours of those civilizations that were destroyed A consequence of this isthat Jewish history itself has at times been represented as an containinginterregnum that brackets offf the years 1939 ndash 1945 as if they existed out-side of normal historical development4 Given that it is nearly impos-sible to represent this period in ways other than through the languageof loss and annihilation it is worthwhile to note the presence of the very few frayed threads of continuity that do bind the pre-war and post- war periods together and to examine those cultural projects that began

in Europe in the optimistic years following World War 983145 and continuedthrough World War 983145983145 and after in the United States This essay high-lights two cases of pre-war Yiddish serials that were able to continuepublishing during and after World War 983145983145 by transitioning to the United

3 Bacon 2008 14024 In this regard the history of the Jews in this period parallels some of the issues raisedin the 1980s during the Historikerstreit among German historians over the issue of whetherthe Nazi period marks a rupture within the German past Also see Engel 2010

we hope that with it we have made animportant contribution to the growingkhurbn literature

צושטער א וו כט ק מ ר געמאכט האב דעם ר ו ט ארעט ל ר חורב ע ט ג ו ו צ ר א צו דער

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 9: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 567

States at the start of the war the וא בלעטער ו (983161983145983158983151 Journal Vilna andNew York 1931 ndash 1980 ) and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ) ד The General Ency-clopedia Berlin Paris and New York 1932 ndash 1966 ) Although their pathsquickly diverged both the וא בלעטער ו and ענצ קלאפ עד ע נע מע ג ל א דbegan through the effforts of the Yiddish Scienti10486781048681c Institute ( 983161983145983158983151 )that was housed in Vilna Poland Both serials began in the early 1930sand taken together mirrored 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s dual mission of being the homefor the most sophisticated and current scienti10486781048681c research in the Yid-dish language while simultaneously providing a base from which toeducate and improve the conditions of Eastern European Jewry The983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s mission was to be the premier venue for scholarly research

on Eastern European Jewry while Di algemeyne entsiklopedye rsquo s was tobring methodically researched general knowledge to the masses of Yid-dish speakers

The existence of these two Yiddish serials ndash that were among theonly ones to have existed before during and after the war ndash allows forthe possibility of understanding this period through a chain of tradi-tion that links the world that was destroyed to the one that remained Itfurthermore serves as a way to conceive of Jewish history in this period with an eye towards its continuity and a realization that wartime andpost-war Yiddish culture in the United States was shaped in part by thepresence of those few refugee scholars and institutions that were ableto relocate there5 An examination of these two serials in relation toone another may also be able to inform some of the current conversa-tions about the ways in which Jewish communities in general and Yid-dish scholars in particular responded to the Nazi onslaught6 Finallythe mere fact that the serials continued to be published despite all thehistorical forces working against them ( including the near total loss ofthe editors writers and readers that supported them ) is worthy of noteand study

The וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד were among manysigni10486781048681cant projects to be launched in the post-World War 983145 burst of Yid-dish-language activity in Europe In this time of optimism and expan-

5 For a discussion of this question regarding the extent to which post-war Yiddish litera-ture is a continuation of pre-war see Estraikh 1999 Also see Anita Norich rsquo s ( 2007 ) elegantdiscussion of the lsquo fallacy rsquo of understanding Yiddish and English in America on a historicalcontinuum in which one replaces the other6 Two such valuable discussions at present are those raised most recently by historiansconsidering the questions of Jewish lsquo silence rsquo after the Holocaust ( particularly in the UnitedStates ) and by historians discussing the 10486781048681nal days of the ideologies of Diaspora National-ism in Europe In terms of the debates on the so-called ldquo myth of silence rdquo see Diner 2009and Cesarani and Sundquist 2012 On Territorialistsrsquo reconsideration of Jewish Diasporistideologies in the late 1930s see most notably Karlip 2005 and Weiser 2011 226 ndash 259

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 10: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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568 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

sion these two publishing ventures were viewed by their initiators asmarking a new era in both the Yiddish language and the national com-munity that supported it As projects of 983161983145983158983151 they were tied to an in-stitute that on the one hand was widely recognized as the preeminentcenter for Yiddish cultural research ( notwithstanding being only in its10486781048681fth year ) and on the other was facing a moment of deep 10486781048681scal crisis As the historian Cecile Kuznitz has described it the early 1930s in par-ticular marked a period of ldquo Scholarship under Pressure rdquo during whichscholarly productivity abruptly slowed as attention had to be increas-ingly directed toward fund-raising7 The gap between the organization rsquo sambitions and 10486781048681nancial resources was growing wider

In spite of a lack of much-needed funds the וא בלעטער ו 10486781048681rst ap-peared in early 1931 and from the 10486781048681rst issue it set a new standard for Yiddish scholarly research As the realization of a vision articulated byZalmen Reyzen at 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s 1929 conference during which much of theinstitute rsquo s agenda was decided the journal is notable not only for thehigh quality of its articles and stature of its contributors but in keeping with Max Weinreich rsquo s oft-repeated insistence on 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s non-partisan-ship there is a total absence of articles that directly consider contem-porary politics8 In the Introduction to the 10486781048681rst issue the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo seditors articulated the tension between their lofty aspirations and 10486781048681-nancial capacity and rather than providing a full programmatic state-ment stating the journal rsquo s aims and standards they were frank abouttheir doubts as to whether 983161983145983158983151 would be able to sustain this ldquo new bur-den rdquo9 In spite of these fears the Central Committee remained com-mitted to the project as it would 10486781048681ll a large void in 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s publications which up to then had consisted of either compendiums of articlesfrom several of its key research areas or shorter articles in its newslet-ter ד עות At the same time the וא בלעטער ו was envisioned as a toolnot only for the Yiddish-speaking Jewish intelligentsia but its editorsoptimistically hoped that it might 10486781048681nd a popular audience as well and אונדזער בר טער א ארא ט צו וו ס וואס א ז ש ר אד דעם גרו ס שט ל bdquo [ ] קענע

( help satisfy the great thirst for knowledge that exists among ourמאסע rdquobroad masses ) The journal was to correspond to the four sections of

983161983145983158983151 itself Philology History Economics and Statistics and Psychologyand Pedagogy In addition it would provide information about 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sprogram and accomplishments and archival materials and would be aldquo central tribune for all Yiddish scholarly work rdquo 10

7 Kuznitz 2000 221 ndash 269 Kuznitz 2008 2090 ndash 20938 See 983161983145983158983151 1930 on 983161983145983158983151 and founder Max Weinreich rsquo s lsquo neutrality rsquo see Kuznitz 2000 242 f 253 ndash 2579 Di tsentral- farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 110 Ibid 3

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 11: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 569

Over the course of the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו released a steadystream of volumes ( although the numbering system often varied andthere were occasional gaps in publication ) Its contributors includedmost of the luminaries of the Yiddish intellectual world such as SimonDubnow Max Weinreich Alexander Harkavy Avrom Menes NoyekhPrilutski ( Noah Prylucki ) Jacob Lestschinsky Elias Tcherikower ZeligKalmanovitsh Nachman Meisel Emanuel Ringelblum Zalmen Reyzen Jacob Shatzky Solomon Birnbaum Shmuel Niger and Raphael MahlerThe topics were equally vast and included articles on subjects such as Jewish demography history literature arts culture folklore linguisticsphilosophy philology Jewish communal life and scholarly reviews of

works in Yiddish English Polish and Spanish Given the location of 983161983145983158983151 there were a signi10486781048681cant number of articles on Polish Jewish his-tory Throughout the 1930s the וא בלעטער ו stuck to its decision to avoidcontemporary politics yet touched on some ongoing issues obliquelyby historicizing them such as with Menesrsquo investigation of Jewish po-litical autonomy in the biblical period11 However the calm ldquo exterior rdquo ofthe וא בלעטער ו did not adequately represent the often 10486781048681erce debatesoccurring within the institute as to the extent to which its researchshould respond to the growing emergency12 It was only in 1939 thatthe increasingly hostile situation faced by Polish Jewry was re9831421048684ected( albeit indirectly as well ) in the pages of the וא בלעטער ו as the ques-tion of historical anti-Semitism was addressed by several contributionsThe January ndash February edition ( vol 983160983145983158 no 1 ) for example containsa historical study by Joseph Lifshits of the anti-Jewish Hep Hep riotsof 1819 that took place in German lands as well as an examination byZosa Szajkowski of French anti-Jewish activity in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries The 10486781048681nal volume from Vilna ( May 1939 ) opened with an article by Joseph Mirkin on ldquo Jewish and anti-Jewish themes inChristian religious art in Medieval France rdquo

Another debate that arose among the editors and contributors inthe 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s early years concerned the extent to which the journalshould focus on scholarly issues that speci10486781048681cally addressed issues rel-evant to Jewish studies or whether non-Jewish topics should be like-

wise considered13 The discussion resulted in a compromise that wouldmaintain the journal rsquo s thematic coherency yet allow a measure offreedom among its contributors to explore ldquo non-Jewish rdquo themes if theycould be shown to be germane to Jewish-related subjects As the editors wrote in 1932 14

11 For example Menes 193112 See Kuznitz 2000 264 ndash 26713 See 983161983145983158983151-bleter 1932 314 Ibid 3

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 12: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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570 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

At the same time as the וא בלעטער ו was being launched a second ini-tiative with ties to 983161983145983158983151 was getting underway the 10486781048681rst comprehen-sive Yiddish-language encyclopedia Although beset by similar 10486781048681scalconstraints and ideological debates as the וא בלעטער ו נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע was to a much greater degree at the mercy of historicalevents in the 1930s Unlike the וא בלעטער ו which was based in Vilnaand could therefore bene10486781048681t more easily from the institutional supportof 983161983145983158983151 itself ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א was established in Berlin whichדleft the project vulnerable when the situation in Germany began to turndire At the same time each project can be seen as a re9831421048684ection of themilieu in which it was founded The וא בלעטער ו based as it was in thecapital of the Yiddish cultural world and in a thriving Jewish center wascreated to showcase and promote the best intellectual work producedon the subject of Jewish studies By contrast Berlin was host to a com-munity of Eastern European Jewish eacutemigreacutes who were not in the samesense lsquo home rsquo but who were exposed to a much more cosmopolitan city

in which exiles from many parts of Europe had congregated This mayaccount in part for what was a highly contentious decision to producean encyclopedia of general knowledge that focused on the larger worldrather than one restricted to Jewish topics

The 10486781048681gures who gathered in early February 1931 to organize theencyclopedia were made up of those Eastern European Jews who hadbeen drawn to Berlin in the early 1920s when it was a magnet for Yid-

שרא ד גלע פ שפ א ראד א בלעטער ו ו דרא וו סנשא טלער וואס זנע ד ו עט ב ר א

אפ אל ממ לא א ו ו ם ו ר א או א א נ קט ק נ ט האב מ ר וועלכע געב ט אר ענע אדגל טעכנ ק רוו סנשא ט ו ט אנ סע צקעס

נע מעג ל א צו ש ך א ז עס וואס או ס בלבק ט ס ט אטס עקאנאמ ק ו מע ע ל ב ארפ אב ז א קענע אא וו ש פראך וו סנשא ט

ד או ב א בלעטער ו ו ד א ווער לט ד נ אהוו סנשא טלעכע אונדזערע ו מ טגל דערעפעס זאג צו דעם וועג האב עס ג ע ל אק א ס אז געווונטש א ז ואלכב א גנס

בם ס טעמעס ד שע או ף לע ק ט ר א ד ווט מ גלעך געוו ז וו זאל ב כער רעצענז ר ארא א ז וואס נד ו בנ עמ אזוצ דער ווער ס ע מ ע ל ב אר פ ענ מעג ל א ד שע או צוו ש

תוך מעטאד ש ס א

The 983161983145983158983151 bleter must re9831421048684ect the research work of the scholars that are united inand around 983161983145983158983151 As a matter of coursethose areas that do not have sections natural sciences technology and the likeremain out of consideration That whichis pertinent to general problems of eco-nomics statistics language-studies etccan be treated in the 983161983145983158983151 bleter if themembers of our scholarly committeeshave anything to say about them In anycase it is hoped that to the extent possi-

ble both in the articles on Jewish themesand in book reviews the connectionbetween Jewish and general problemsshould be demonstrated that is among Jewish and general problems both inmethod and in content

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 571

dish and Hebrew writers scholars and journalists attracted to the city rsquo s vibrancy afffordability and cosmopolitanism15 Although there was asigni10486781048681cant exodus of this community following the stabilization of theGerman currency and the subsequent decline in Yiddish and Hebrewpublishing many still remained including Dubnow the historian andhead of 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s History Section Elias Tcherikower the Menshevik leaderRaphael Abramovitch the demographer Jacob Lestschinsky the headof the 983151983154983156 ( the Society for Handicraft and Agricultural Work among the Jews of Russia ) Leon Bramson and the Territorialist leader AbrahamRozin ( pseud Ben-Adir ) By the time of the February meeting plan-ning work on the encyclopedia had been underway for several months

and a publishing arm ndash named the Dubnow Fund ndash was established tooversee the project rsquo s administration16

Like the וא בלעטער ו from the very beginning there were debatesamong the founders about the content of the encyclopedia ndash speci10486781048681-cally whether it would be scholarly or popular in format whether itcould discuss political topics with the necessary objectivity and to what extent it would contain general or speci10486781048681cally Jewish knowledgeIt was only after several tense discussions ndash at times played out in the Yiddish press ( including the וא בלעטער ו itself ) ndash that a compromise was reached17 At a meeting in late 1931 it was decided that the volumesof encyclopedia would contain a ratio of 70 percent general knowledgeto 30 percent Jewish but most of the speci10486781048681cally Jewish content wouldbe relegated to a supplement dedicated to Jewish life and culture Thusthe decisions reached were nearly the reverse of those concerning theוא בלעטער ו Whereas the וא בלעטער ו would be scholarly in tone open-ended and largely focused on Jewish themes ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ד would be for a mass readership have a de10486781048681nitive end and be heavily weighted towards general knowledge ( ten volumes of general knowl-edge and one dedicated to Jewish topics ) This settlement however wasnot suff10486781048681cient to fend offf a split between the Berlin and Vilna campsand by the end of 1931 983161983145983158983151 ndash primarily citing 10486781048681nancial diff10486781048681culties ndashoff10486781048681cially dropped its ties and the encyclopedia became a project of thenow-independent Dubnow Fund alone

In spite of these setbacks and the growing crisis in Germany in April 1932 a עט ה ע ב ארפ ( sample volume ) of the encyclopedia was re-leased to great fanfare and was signi10486781048681cant enough to warrant critical

15 Estraikh and Krutikov 2010 For a comprehensive overview of Yiddish in Weimar-eraBerlin see Estraikh 2006 On Hebrew in Weimar-era Berlin see Pinsker 2011 105 ndash 14016 983161983145983158983151 193117 Yashunsky 1932 For more on Yashunsky rsquo s concerns about the extent to which the Dub-now Fund could maintain the necessary scholarly objectivity see Kuznitz 2000 261

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 14: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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572 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

reviews18 In between its covers readers were shown a wide varietyof entries on subject matters modeled on those found in the German Brockhaus the British Britannica and the French Larousse such as ( fol-lowing the Yiddish alphabet ) the Amarna Period in ancient Egyptianhistory unemployment the author William James President AbrahamLincoln motors empirical criticism Esperanto and radium The spe-ci10486781048681cally Jewish content included entries on Hasidism reprints of por-traits of religious Jews by Marc Chagall Jewish demography and theZionist leader Max Nordau Its contributors included not only the orga-nizers but comprised a ldquo who rsquo s who rdquo among the Yiddish intelligentsiaEven those most intimately tied to the 983161983145983158983151 circle such as Weinreich

are listedLess than a year after the release of the עט ה ע ב ארפ however the

Dubnow Fund faced its 10486781048681rst major crisis with the Nazi takeover of pow-er on 30 January 1933 The editors and contributors of the encyclopedia who were based in Berlin were forced to 9831421048684ee the country Although Dub-now ended up in Riga Abramovitch Ben-Adir Bramson Tcherikowerand others resettled in Paris and were forced to rebuild their organi-zation almost entirely from scratch This was the 10486781048681rst of many chal-lenges that forced reconsiderations in the plans for the project Unlikethe וא בלעטער ו which saw only comparatively modest interruptionsin its publishing schedule on account of economic or political chal-lenges in the 1930s and responded to the worsening situation for Jewsthroughout Europe only in 1939 changes in ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א דappeared almost from the outset Immediately the publication sched-ule was adjusted so that rather than publishing ten volumes of generalknowledge twenty smaller ones were planned Despite the highly en-thusiastic reception that greeted the 10486781048681rst volume ( 1934 ) a publishingpace of approximately one volume a year could be sustained and none were released in 193819 In addition volumes released in the middle ofthe decade ( all of which were on the letter alef ) augur a conceptualchange in which the focus on general knowledge began to shift towardthe particular Each of these volumes ends on a surprising note withmulti-authored journal-length entries on the decidedly Jewish topics

of ldquo antisemitism rdquo ( 1936 ) and the ldquo land of Israel rdquo ( 1937 )20

18 Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 For examples of reviews see Klinov 1932 andSvet 193219 For a fuller account of the volumes in Di algemeyne entsiklopedye see Trachtenberg200620 Ben-Adir Tcherikower and Abramovitch 1936 Ben-Adir and Menes 1937

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 15: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 573

A much more dramatic shift in the publishing schedule of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע גלא occurred on what was the eve of war in the springof 1939 where in an unexpected move the editors decided to releasethe long-promised supplement entitled ד well ahead of scheduleUnlike the volumes on general knowledge ד contains journal-lengthessays on Jewish history and social science such as essays on anthro-pology archaeology history and historiography demography econom-ics emigration and colonization Although this special volume seemsto have been a response to the deteriorating situation the editors ex-plicitly refrained from discussing it Instead they focused the Introduc-tion on the immediate challenges facing the project such as the death

of two of their colleagues They did however announce the 10486781048681rst majorchange in plans a second ד volume to serve as a companion to the10486781048681rst

With the outbreak of war in September 1939 the greatest partof Yiddish print culture in Europe came to an end By a combinationof fortune and determination both the וא בלעטער ו and נע מע ג ל א ד ענצ קלאפ עד ע were able to be reestablished in the United States andcontinue for decades The United States at this time as Anita Norichhas noted became by default ldquo unquestionably the center for Yid-dish culture rdquo and the war years were de10486781048681ned by a period of profoundtransformation within both American Yiddish and Jewish culture21 Inorder to maintain their projects the surviving editors and contributorshad to negotiate between remaining true to the scholarly missions on which they were 10486781048681rst launched and the new circumstances in whichthey found themselves In keeping with prior experience the transi-tion ( administratively speaking ) from Europe to the United States forthe וא בלעטער ו was somewhat smoother than it was for נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע In the case of the former Max Weinreich and his son Uri-el were in Denmark en route to Belgium When war broke out in Sep-tember Weinreich stayed in Western Europe and made his way to theUnited States arriving in March 1940 Even before his arrival howeverhe had given permission to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s ל ט פ אמא( American Section ) to taketemporary responsibility for publishing the וא בלעטער ו and by Octo-

ber New York was declared the organization rsquo s new headquarters The10486781048681rst New York-based volume to appear was issued in February of 1940less than a year after the publication of the last Vilna volume22 By con-trast the onset of war brought a much more dramatic interruption toע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א Weeks after releasing the secondד ד volume

21 Norich 2007 1222 For a discussion of how 983161983145983158983151 reconstituted itself in 1940 in New York see Soyer 2008

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 17: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 575

spective projects were being annihilated In the wartime pages of theוא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע נע מע ג ל א it is clear that the editorsדstruggled with the burdens of taking responsibility for preserving thememory of the Yiddish world that was under assault and for identifying ways to support its surviving members in the United States

In particular this combination of mourning on the one hand anddetermination on the other permeates the pages of the וא בלעטער ו during the war years For example in the January ndash February 1940 vol-ume which appeared prior to Weinreich rsquo s arrival in the United Statesthere is a note stating that with great regret temporary responsibilityfor publishing the journal was to be taken over by the ל ט פ אמא but only

with the consent of the Vilna community The editors and contributorsincluded many of those who had been associated with 983161983145983158983151 since itsinception but who had migrated earlier such as Lestschinsky MahlerNiger and Jacob Shatzky This issue begins a shift in the journal rsquo s at-tention to Jewish life in the United States with the inclusion of two ar-ticles Nathan Goldberg rsquo s ldquo Data on the Condition of the Jewish Writerin New York City rdquo and Herman Frank rsquo s ldquo Economic Organization of the Jewish Middle Class in the United States rdquo 25 A year later in the Janu-ary ndash February 1941 volume Weinreich addressed the crisis head-on forthe 10486781048681rst time Beginning what would become a tradition lasting several years he used the וא בלעטער ו as a forum to assess the state of Jewishscholarship and the threat to it posed by the war He aff10486781048681rmed 983161983145983158983151 rsquo scommitment to Jewish scholarship by discussing how during its Vilnaperiod 983161983145983158983151 served as a center for both academic and cultural pursuits With the connection to Europe now lost the had to serve theאמאפטלbasic functions of the 983161983145983158983151 and he insisted that the role of Jewish schol-arship was important not only to serve as a lsquo weapon rsquo against those who would seek to oppress the Jews but also to provide a means to liberate Jews from their own ignorance about the Jewish past present and fu-ture26 With this the וא בלעטער ו became an instrument to provide notonly a forum for scholarship but a vehicle for activism For the nextseveral years the וא בלעטער ו reprinted Weinreich rsquo s addresses to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo sannual conventions In 1943 for example his speech א אר א וא ו דער

אומקום ו ( 983161983145983158983151 in a year of death ) was a defense both of 983161983145983158983151 and ofscholarship itself and was very expansive in its understanding of itsmission in America27 He expressed his anguish at sitting in a ldquo blessedland rdquo when so many were being ldquo devoured rdquo on the other side of theocean He spoke of the need not to sink into despair but to push on-

25 Goldberg 1940 Frank 194026 Weinreich 194127 Weinreich 1943

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 18: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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576 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ward and to recognize that 983161983145983158983151 had an ldquo obligation to the entire futureof the Jewish folk rdquo Likewise he insisted on maintaining 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s highstandards and not giving in to the temptation to popularize its workHe pointed to 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s future task of reorienting its research toward theproblems faced by Jews in the United States

At the same time work on ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א continued Inד1942 the third of the ד volumes was released The volume containslong multi-authored essays on vast swaths of Jewish history and cul-ture with essays on Jewish literature the press Jewish communal andnational life and the Jewish socialist and labor movement around the world For the editors even as they continued with a cultural project

they had created before the war they understood that an era had cometo a close As they wrote in the foreword 28

Given this recognition of the fact that the large majority of their origi-nal audience was no longer alive it is somewhat surprising to 10486781048681nd thatin 1944 the editors released a 10486781048681fth ( and what would be the 10486781048681nal ) vol-ume of general knowledge In the introduction the editors spoke of themany diff10486781048681culties in bringing the volume to fruition29 Most immediate was that two of its chief editors in New York had passed away Ben- Adir in 1942 and Tcherikower in 1943 Worse was the attempt to writean encyclopedia with the knowledge that their audience of European Yiddish-speakers was being annihilated and that their project no longer

had the same sort of relevance in its new home The editors thus madeno mention of any future volumes of general knowledge but insteadannounced a continuation of the ד series on the topics of the ldquo organi-zation of internal Jewish life and of Jewish folk culture rdquo

With the war rsquo s end and the two serials now permanently based inthe United States and with an American (ized ) audience possessed ofprofoundly diffferent economic political and religious concerns and

28 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn gimel ) ( unpaginated )29 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( 5 ) ( unpaginated )

With the Yidn volumes we have takenpains to provide a sort of accounting ofthat period in Jewish history that cameto an end in autumn 1939 This is a formof literary monument that should makepermanent the experiences and achieve-ments of the material and intellectualdevelopment of Jewish people up to thebeginning of the historical rupture of

World War 983145983145

נוא באמ ט ז ך מ ר האב ד bdquo בענד ד מ ט פ ער אד ו ענעם סך הכל מ א ר וצרעט

ד קט א נ ע ר א ד שע געש כטע וואס האט ז ך ר ע ש ר ארעט ל מ א א ז דאס 1939 סט ב ר אה

ווער קס רט רא זאל עס ווו נט ע מו נ אמדער ו רעזולטאט או גע נ ו ר ארע[ד] דנג ו לק וו טנ א ער ק ט ס ג או לער ע רעט אמדעם ו ב ה נ א צום ב ז אלק ד ש וצוו טער דער ו א בערבראך ה סטאר ש

וועלטמלחמה

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 19: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 577

which spoke a diffferent language from the Yiddish-speaking Jews ofpre-war Europe each publication was forced to undergo a reassessmentof its mission Rather than start anew the editors of the וא בלעטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א insisted on the continuing need for theirדprojects but recognized that they had to adapt them for the dimin-ished Yiddish-speaking community in North America and its distinctneeds Three changes in particular stand out ( 1 ) both serials displayan increased level of self-re9831421048684ection about their projects in which theeditors discuss their uncertain 10486781048681nancial status and the need to adaptthe missions of the serials themselves ( 2 ) there is a very discernibleshift toward essays on Jewish history in general and a marked increase

in subjects related to the United States and the Holocaust and ( 3 ) thepublication of English-language versions of their work Furthermorethe pre-war patterns established by both serials continued in the post- war era in that the וא בלעטער ו maintained a relatively stable and reli-able publication schedule whereas ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א ended upדentirely abandoning its original mission of creating a general encyclo-pedia and instead became a miscellany that was focused on issues of Jewish history and the Holocaust

For the dozen years after World War 983145983145 the וא בלעטער ו maintaineda steady publishing schedule of ( typically ) one volume a year In thepost-war years it became notable for research into the current and pastconditions of Jewish life in North America ( in addition to Jewish his-tory in other periods and regions ) and for writing some of the earli-est historical investigations into aspects of the Holocaust In this theוא בל עטער ו had to walk a 10486781048681ne line between remaining relevant to arapidly dwindling audience and avoiding turning Yiddish into what was called in another ndash albeit related ndash context a ארצטקולטור ( cul-ture of commemoration ) in which it might become over-identi10486781048681ed with mourning and loss and a metonym for the Holocaust30 By 1948however 983161983145983158983151 stopped reprinting addresses by Weinreich and resumed volumes that in form largely resembled those prior to the war The ar-ticles in this period on Jewish life in North America are often expansiveand ambitious Volume 983160983160983160983145 ndash 983160983160983160983145983145 ( 1948 ) for example was dedicated

to questions of education and the psychology of Jewish families and youth Later issues contained a variety of articles on topics such as Jew-ish religious life Jewish agriculture in Canada the New York Jewish lit-erary scene records of Jews in the Los Angeles Police Department theparticipation of Jews in the American labor movement and the New York school system Volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145983145 ( 1954 ) is dedicated entirely to thetopic of Jewish life and culture in the United States and offfered articles

30 On the use of this term see Norich 2007 26 f 109

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2326

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2426

582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 20: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2026

578 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

on Yiddish literature Jewish migration Jewish education and the ex-tent to which Jews identi10486781048681ed with American society

In addition to the increase in essays related to American subjectsnot surprisingly a substantial number of articles also address aspects ofthe Holocaust including Weinreich rsquo s own Hitler rsquo s Professors a mono-graph-length condemnation of the German scientists and scholars wholent their support to the Nazi regime Other contributions concernedthe Lodz ghetto the impact of the war on the psychology of Jewish youth the relevance of Jewish national ideologies in the post-war peri-od obituaries of those 983161983145983158983151 members killed during the war the efffect ofthe Nazi occupation on Jewish family relations in Poland and Zelig Kal-

manovitch rsquo s diaries of the Vilna ghetto The entirety of volume 983160983160983160983158983145983145( 1953 ) is concerned with the Holocaust and focuses almost exclusivelyon the experiences of victims including articles on social diffferentia-tion in concentration camps rescue effforts Jewish resistance and theMadagascar plan

Following the 1944 release of the 10486781048681fth volume of general knowledgeע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א experienced a hiatus of half a dozen years Inד1950 the promised fourth volume of the Yidn series was released Theeditors announced their intentions that the volume would be the 10486781048681rstof a new three-part series The initial three ד volumes they wrote ex-isted on the other side of a vast divide that signi10486781048681ed the end of an era 31

31 ldquo Hakdome rdquo Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 1934 ndash 1966 ( yidn daled ) ( unpaginated )

או אכט ר ט ר א א ז [ א ב ג] ערשטע סער ע ד1941 mdash 1938 ד אר א רט געוואר עגכרודע ש ג ארט או גרו סע ד געוואר זנע וואס אצ ע פ ס נ אמע ו עפאכע דער מח צה צוו ש

תש אmdash תש ה דעם חורב או אק דער או וועלט קר ג דעם צוו ט נאך

ז ך האט נטום ד א ראפע ש ו א ע ר ט ס אטכ שעג ד שער ו תקוה נע א ו ב ה עג נ א

ו עפאכע mdash ד שער פער אד עפאר א רעד עטרערשא ט ער ק ט ס ג או ער ש ט ל אפ דער ד דער א נטום ד מ זרחא ראפע ש ו

א נעם ד קט א נ ע ר א ז ך mdash האט שער וועלט ד ו חורב ולשטענד ק כמעט דעם מ ט ר ה ם ע ט ל א רעד ד שע ק בוצ ם א גרו סע

The 10486781048681rst series [of three] was conceivedand carried out in the years 1938 ndash 1942 which were a great and tragic mekhitse between the epochs of emancipationand khurbn 1941 ndash 1945

After World War 983145983145 and the catastro-phe of European Jewry there began anew period in Jewish history The Euro-pean period ndash that epoch of the politicaland intellectual leadership of EasternEuropean Jewry in the Jewish world ndash

has ended together with the near totalkhurbn of the great Jewish communitiesin the old world

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

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Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2226

580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2326

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2426

582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 21: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2126

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 579

However in deciding to continue with their project the editors of דע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א like those of the וא בלעטער ו provided one ofthe very few links between the world that was destroyed and the onethat lay ahead They saw the encyclopedia rsquo s task as providing a means with which to help the new Jewish communities in the United Statesand Israel assume their positions of leadership in the Jewish world 32

In what can best be described as a type of scholarly זכורבוך for Euro-pean Jewry the fourth ד volume provided a comprehensive overviewof European Jewish history country by country with a particular focuson the period prior to the war With richly illustrated essays by many ofthe surviving original editors and contributors to the project such as Abramovitch Lestschinsky Menes and Shatzky this volume is a com-prehensive catalog of the world they once knew and was their last op-portunity to memorialize it

Seven years later volume 5 of the ד series appeared and it wasdedicated to Jewish life in the Americas divided among the UnitedStates Canada and Latin America33 By this time most of the originaleditors had passed away or were no longer actively involved As othersrose to assume responsibility for the project they expressed their wishto reinvigorate the encyclopedia ( restricting it to the ד volumes only )and to restore it to a regular printing schedule They anticipated pub-lishing a volume on the destruction of European Jewry and another onthe state of Israel The 10486781048681nal two volumes of ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א - apדpeared only several years later in 1964 and 1966 and both are accountsof the Holocaust discussing the assault on Jewish communities in the

various European statesBy the mid-1960s both serials had largely reached their ends Af-

ter the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s volume 983160983148983145 ( 1957 ndash 1958 ) which was dedicated tothe recently deceased Shmuel Niger publishing became much more er-

32 Ibid33 Ibid ( yidn hey )

דער נער ם א וש קע ד נ ג טש וא [ ] ד ד ונגע מלוכה א נ[ע]ם געבורטלאנד וועלט או וא אג ז נ א א זנע אלק ד ש ו bdquo א ב ק אונדזער ו לעבנסכוח ק ד נ ב לב

ל א בערגעלעבט אזו אלק וואס האט שו חורבנות א עס או ר ט ס אטאק

[ hellip ] the emerging communities in thenew world and the young state in thebirthplace of the Jewish people are anomen of the ever-lasting living strength

of our lsquo eternal people rsquo that has experi-enced so many catastrophes and khur-bones

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2226

580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2326

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2426

582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 22: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2226

580 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

ratic and the 10486781048681nal volume was published in 198034 Nevertheless bothserials managed to reach wider audiences by creating English-language versions immediately after the war In 1946 983161983145983158983151 released the 10486781048681rst An-nual of Jewish Social Science and 983139983161983139983151 published the 10486781048681rst of three ( laterexpanded to four ) volumes of The Jewish People Past and Present Intheir initial period both serials largely consisted of translations of the Yiddish volumes with the 983161983145983158983151 Annual mostly comprising articles fromthe 1940s onward with the goal of presenting a comprehensive viewof ldquo every major Jewish settlement and in time they cover signi10486781048681cantphases of two thousand years of Jewish life with accent on the pres-ent rdquo35 The Jewish People Past and Present was largely a translation of

articles found in the 10486781048681rst three ד volumesIn the introduction to the 983161983145983158983151 Annual volume 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( 1948 ) Wein-

reich dramatically rede10486781048681ned 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s task to his English readers as ldquo tostudy Jewish life present and past near and distant with the tools ofmodern social science and to interpret Jewish life to the non-Jewishacademic world rdquo 36 With this Weinreich announced what might be viewed as a radically new vision for 983161983145983158983151 With the linguistic shift toEnglish and the relocation of 983161983145983158983151 to a country that was largely welcom-ing to Jews 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s scholarship would no longer be restricted to Yiddish-speaking Jewry alone but would now be accessible to the wider worldHe further made the case that what set 983161983145983158983151 apart was its unique abilityto study ldquo Jewish life from within rdquo [ original emphasis ] on account ofits particular frame of reference and intimate ties to the communityThe following year 983161983145983158983151 exempli10486781048681ed this shift by holding a symposiumon the state of Jewish social scienti10486781048681c research With nearly sixty con-tributions from leading scholars including William Foxwell AlbrightHannah Arendt Daniel Bell Nathan Glazer Harry Lurie Shmuel Nigerand Max Weinreich the participants sought to lay the groundwork forfuture academic work The issues debated among the participants in-cluded the extent to which future research should be dispassionate andinattentive to utilitarian concerns or whether it should have a practi-cal application a reemergence of the debate as to whether 983161983145983158983151 rsquo s re-search should be on Jewish or general topics the overall signi10486781048681cance

of Jewish studies as a discipline whether there would exist adequateresearch personnel to carry out the work and to what extent 983161983145983158983151 couldbe viewed as being ldquo suff10486781048681ciently American in character rdquo 37 Subsequent volumes tended to follow the 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo s publishing schedule and

34 Since volume 983160983148983158983145 ( 1980 ) four volumes in a ldquo new series rdquo appeared between 1991 and200335 Weinreich 194636 Weinreich 194837 Lurie and Weinreich 1949

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2326

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2426

582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 23: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2326

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 581

contain almost entirely English translations of its articles Volume 983158983145983145( 1952 ) is a tribute to Peretz on the centenary of his birth Publicationslowed dramatically in the 1960s and had ceased by 198338

The Jewish People Past and Present true to the form of נע מע ג ל א דע ד ע פ אלק צנע was published much more erratically than the 983161983145983158983151 An-nual the 10486781048681rst three volumes appearing in 1946 1948 and 1952 It was inmany respects a much more prestigious work than the Yiddish encyclo-pedia Although its editors were many of the same 10486781048681gures who were re-sponsible for the Yiddish volumes others such as Salo Baron ( Colum-bia University ) Mordecai Kaplan ( Jewish Theological Seminar ) JacobMarcus ( Hebrew Union College ) and Abram Leon Sachar ( Brandeis )

lent their names to the Editorial Advisory Board Contributions fromscholars whose work did not appear in the Yiddish volumes ( and for whom such a choice may have been unimaginable ) such as WilliamFoxwell Albright M F Ashley Montagu and Gershom Scholem werealso included39 With the completion of the third volume the editorsexpressed their intention to produce another three but only one more volume appeared in 1955 which was a commemoration of the tercen-tenary of Jewish life in what became the United States The volume wasdedicated to the Jewish Labor Committee headed by Abramovitchfor having ldquo saved the lives of many of our editors and contributors bybringing them to this country in the years 1940 ndash 42 and which enabledus to achieve this work rdquo40

By successfully transitioning to the United States both theוא בל עטער ו and ע ד ע פ אלק צנע ענ מע ג ל א stand out from nearly everyדother Yiddish serial begun in Europe between the two world wars Theirpresence in the historical record can provide a way to understand thisperiod other than as a complete rupture instead it allows us to viewit as one that contains lines of continuity between the two epochs andcontinents In making the move to their new location however theserials were located in a land that was simultaneously welcoming to Yiddish-speaking Jews but comprised a Jewish community that wasless invested in Yiddish or the ideologies that had once supported itsdevelopment With potential audiences numbering in the thousands

as opposed to the millions that Dubnow once imagined the projectsstruggled to locate their readership yet continued to make scholarlycontributions for decades after the war

38 In 1990 Deborah Dash Moore edited a volume East European Jews in Two Worlds Stud-ies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual which reprinted articles from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual The following year volume 20 of the Annual appeared also edited by Deborah Dash Moore and contains newresearch as well as earlier work translated from Yiddish39 Although Scholem was less than enthusiastic about his inclusion in the volume See hisletter to Menes dated 5 June 1945 983161983145983158983151 Archives Papers of Abraham Kin ( 983154983143 554 ) Box 540 Abramovitch et al 1955 ( unpaginated preface )

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2426

582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 24: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2426

582 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

Bibliography

A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael et al 1946 ndash 1955 The Jewish People Past and Pres-

ent 4 vols New York Jewish Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

Algemeyne entsiklopedye Di 1934 ndash 1966 Raphael A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 et al eds Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Vols 1 ndash 5 and yidn alef ndash zayen Paris Dub-

nov fond New York np and New York Jewish Encyclopedic Hand-

books

B983137983139983151983150 Gershon 2008 ldquo Poland from 1795 to 1939 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150-

983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven

Yale University Press 1390 ndash 1403

General Encyclopedia Sample VolumeDubnow Fund Berlin 1932

983161983145983158983151 Journal 983160983158983145983145 983161983145983158983151 New York 1941Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana UniversityLibrary of Amsterdam

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 25: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2526

Barry Trachtenberg Bridging the ldquo Great and Tragic Mekhitse rdquo 583

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1937 ldquo Erets-yisroel rdquo In Di algemeyne en-

tsiklopedye 4 Paris Dubnov-fond 489 ndash 528

B983141983150-A983140983145983154 and T983139983144983141983154983145983147983151983159983141983154 Elias and A983138983154983137983149983151983158983145983156983139983144 Raphael 1936

ldquo Antisemitizm rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye 3 Paris Dubnov-fond

453 ndash 510

C983141983155983137983154983137983150983145 David and S983157983150983140983153983157983145983155983156 Eric J eds 2012 After the Holocaust

Challenging the Myth of Silence London ndash New York Routledge

D983145983150983141983154 Hasia 2009 We Remember with Reverence and Love American Jews

and the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust 1945 ndash 1962 New York New

York University Press

E983150983143983141983148 David 2010 Historians of the Jews and the Holocaust Stanford

Stanford University PressE983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 Gennady 1999 ldquo Has the lsquoGolden Chainrsquo Ended Problems of

Continuity in Yiddish Writing rdquo In Gennady E983155983156983154983137983145983147983144 and Mikhail

K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 eds Yiddish in the Contemporary World Papers of the First

Mendel Friedman International Conference on Yiddish Oxford Leg-

enda 119 ndash 132

ndash 2006 ldquo Vilna on the Spree Yiddish in Weimar Berlin rdquo In Aschkenas ndash

Zeitschrift fuumlr Geschichte und Kultur der Juden16 103 ndash 127

ndash and K983154983157983156983145983147983151983158 Mikhail eds 2010 Yiddish in Weimar Berlin At the Cross-

roads of Diaspora Politics and Culture Oxford Legenda

F983154983137983150983147 Herman 1940 ldquo Ekonomishe organizatsyes fun yidishn mitlshtand

in di Fareynikte Shtatn rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 103 ndash 123

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Iser 1966 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn

zayen Dubnow-fond un entsiklopedye-komitet ed New York Jewish

Encyclopedic Handbooks Inc

G983151983148983140983138983141983154983143 Nathan 1940 ldquo Materyaln tsum matsev fun yidishn shrayber in

Nyu-York rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158 39 ndash 61

K983137983154983148983145983152 Joshua M 2005 ldquo At the Crossroads Between War and Genocide

A Reassessment of Jewish Ideology in 1940 rdquo In Jewish Social Studies

11 ( 2 ) 170 ndash 201

K983148983145983150983151983158 Yeshayahu 1932 ldquo Shekheyonu rdquo In Haynt 2 May

K983157983162983150983145983156983162 Cecile Esther 2000 ldquo The Origins of Yiddish Scholarship and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research rdquo PhD diss Stanford University

ndash 2008 ldquo 983161983145983158983151 rdquo In Gershon David H983157983150983140983141983154983156 ed The 983161983145983158983151 Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe New Haven Yale University Press 2090 ndash 2096

L983157983154983145983141 Harry L and W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max eds 1949 ldquo Jewish Social Research

in America Status and Prospects rdquo In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Sci-

ence 983145983158 147 ndash 312

M983141983150983141983155 Avrom 1931 ldquo Tsu der frage vegn onheyb fun der yidisher oytono-

mye in der biblisher tsayt rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 2 ) ( February ) 130 ndash 137

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4

Page 26: 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

8132019 34 Leket Trachtenberg Bridging the Great and Tragic Mekhitse A

httpslidepdfcomreaderfull34-leket-trachtenberg-bridging-the-great-and-tragic-mekhitse-a 2626

584 ד שע שטוד עס הנט לקט

M983151983151983154983141 Deborah Dash ed 1990 East European Jews in Two World Wars

Studies from the 983161983145983158983151 Annual Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University

Press and the 983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

ndash 1991 983161983145983158983151 Annual 20 Evanston 983145983148 Northwestern University Press and the

983161983145983158983151 Institute for Jewish Research

N983151983154983145983139983144 Anita 2007 Discovering Exile Yiddish and Jewish American Cul-

ture During the Holocaust Stanford Stanford University Press

P983145983150983155983147983141983154 Shachar M 2011 Literary Passports The Making of Modern He-

brew Fiction in Europe Stanford Stanford University Press

ldquo Di redaktsye rdquo 1940 ldquo Hakdome rdquo In Di algemeyne entsiklopedye Yidn beys

( repr ) New York Central Yiddish Cultural Organization ( unpaginat-

ed )S983151983161983141983154 Daniel 2008 ldquo Yiddish Scholars Meet the Yiddish-Speaking Masses

Language the Americanization of 983161983145983158983151 and the Autobiography Con-

test of 1942 rdquo In Edward S S983144983137983152983145983154983151 ed Yiddish in America Essays on

Yiddish Culture in the Golden Land Scranton 983152983137 University of Scran-

ton Press 55 ndash 79

S983158983141983156 Herman 1932 ldquo Der ershter aroysfor fun der Dubnov-entsiklopedye rdquo

In Moment 13 May

T983154983137983139983144983156983141983150983138983141983154983143 Barry 2006 ldquo From Edi10486781048681cation to Commemoration Di Al-

gemeyne Entsiklopedye the Holocaust and the Collapse of Eastern

European Jewish Life rdquo In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies5 ( 3 ) ( No-

vember ) 285 ndash 300

Di tsentral-farvaltung fun yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut 1931 ldquo Aroyslozn-

dik di 983161983145983158983151-bleter rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145 ( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 3

Tsentral-komitet fun ldquo Dubnov-fond rdquo 1932 Algemeyne entsiklopedye probe-

heft Berlin Dubnow Fund

W983141983145983150983154983141983145983139983144 Max 1941 ldquo Di yidishe visnshaft in der hayntiker tsayt rdquo In

983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983158983145983145 1 ndash 13

ndash 1943 ldquo Der 983161983145983158983151 in a yor fun umkum rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983160983160983145 86 ndash 99

ndash 1946 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science983145 ( unpaginated )

ndash 1948 In 983161983145983158983151 Annual of Jewish Social Science 983145983145 ndash 983145983145983145 ( unpaginated )

W983141983145983155983141983154 Kalman 2011 Jewish People Yiddish Nation Noah Prylucki and the

Folkists in Poland Toronto University of Toronto Press

Y983137983155983144983157983150983155983147983161 Yosef 1932 ldquo Tsu der diskusye vegn an algemeyner entsik-lopedye af yidish rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145 121 ndash 139

983161983145983158983151 1930 Barikht fun der konferents fun dem yidishn visnshaftlekhn insti-

tut Vilna 983161983145983158983151

ndash 1931 Yedies fun 983161983145983158983151 34 ( 3 July )

983161983145983158983151 bleter 1932 ldquo Tsum tsveytn yorgang lsquo 983161983145983158983151-bleter rsquo rdquo In 983161983145983158983151-bleter 983145983145983145

( 1 Jan ) 1 ndash 4