Lot 749

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Description:

(OTTO VON BISMARCK)
ESTER FABERDaughter of prominent Rabbi Abraham Sutro (1784-1869), an early supporter of Jewish rights in Westphalia and an ardent defender of Zionism. Sutro wrote the influential volume Milhamot Adonoy (Battles of the Lord) in 1836 and is chiefly remembered as the mentor of Isaac Leeser, American Jewish minister, advocate and founder of the Jewish press in America. Fine content A.L.S. 3pp. 4to., Munich, Mar. 22, 1869, to German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck regarding prosecution of the Jews. In part: "...In trust of justice...dare I, despite the warnings of my father, the Grand Rabbi Sutro...make the following observations: As the newspapers have reported, the situation of Jews in the Danube principalities is very deplorable. Their properties as well as their lives are in constant danger. As 'The Israelist', a reputable periodical...reports in Issue No. 10 of this year, the 'Rumainer' intended to kill all Jews. A Romanian Vesper! Such events, Excellence, remind us of the cruel customs in times of the middle ages. In those time the hearts and minds of the people were filled with hatred. Not so in our times. The mind has, like the sun obstructed by clouds, broken through them. The darkness is gone, or should be...In Prussia, where Alexander von Humboldt lived and worked, a priest of humanity and knowledge. And how this Prussia, large and powerful, leading the North German Alliance, can witness that in a state, the leader of which is closely related to the royal house, the rights of humanity are trod upon. The venerable Montefiori traveled to the Danube principalities. The promises, which were made the pious pilgrim, were forgotten...A strict intervention on part of the North German Alliance, would without any doubt be crowned with great success. If the evil must be torn out by its roots...the North German Alliance has to intervene...". Bismarck is widely considered the founder of the modern German state, despite his own political conservatism and support of the preponderance of the aristocracy. This conservatism included the anti-Semitism of this era, despite the fact that Prussia conferred citizenship to them in 1812. Jews were still forbidden to participate in forma politics and the military. Without this inclusion into German civic society, Jews were marginalized but were preeminent in academia, as evinced in Faber's citation of the famed scientists von Humboldt and Moses Montefiori. Clean fold splits, worthy of repair. Very good.

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June 4, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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