Auction 48 - Rare and Important Items
"Public Appeal" to Support the Foundation of a University and National Library in Jerusalem – Signed by Albert Einstein, 1923
Opening: $3,000
Sold for: $7,500
Including buyer's premium
Draft of a public appeal, calling to support the foundation of a university and national library in Jerusalem, signed by Albert Einstein. Berlin, [1923]. German.
Typewritten on "Gesellschaft der Freunde der Jerusalem-bibliothek" [Society of Friends of the Jerusalem Library] letterhead, with several corrections (probably not by Einstein), signed by Albert Einstein: "A. Einstein".
"Building a Jewish new Eretz Israel is not just a materialistic enterprise. Just as the body of the Jewish people needs a new homeland, so does the soul. When a spiritual center is founded in the ancient historic homeland, it will stop floating in the universe… the highlight of this cultural enterprise and its solid base is the establishment of a Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The construction of the University has just started. A scientific library is a necessary... Whoever is interested in a university, should assist in establishing a library. […] Now is the right time to link between the establishment of the library and the construction of the university. The library has to be built immediately! […] Whoever wishes to build a university and homeland for the Jewish soul – cannot evade the obligation to take part in establishing a university and national library in Jerusalem".
The "Public Appeal" was phrased during the establishment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As is understood from this document, Einstein served as vice-chairman of the "Gesellschaft der Freunde der Jerusalem-bibliothek", the chairman being Dr. Gustav Bradt. Einstein's contribution to this society (founded in December 1922) included his decision (in 1925), to donate three quarters of his library to the national library and transfer more than one thousand of his books to Jerusalem. Einstein also donated to the library forty-five leaves of the "General Theory of Relativity" manuscript.
Prof. Heinrich Loewe enlisted Einstein's support of establishing a library in Jerusalem: in a letter sent by Loewe to Einstein in September 1922 (no. 36.918 in Einstein's Archive in the NLI,) Loewe wrote: "May I refer to you two requests. For the library we have to realize now the idea of founding the "Gesellschaft der Freunde der Jerusalem-bibliothek" (Society of Friends of the Jerusalem Library) and for that we need your name as a committee member […] We kindly ask you to agree to the use of your acclaimed name and sign a public appeal, once it has been submitted to Weizmann for signature. I attach for this purpose the suggested version and kindly ask you to sign it".
[1] leaf, 29 cm. Good condition. Stains at margins. Folding marks.
Literature: Raphael Weiser, "Kol Koreh…" (Hebrew: Public appeal to support the establishment of a University and National Library in Jerusalem signed by Albert Einstein). In: "Al Sefarim ve-Anashim", no. 5. 1993.
Typewritten on "Gesellschaft der Freunde der Jerusalem-bibliothek" [Society of Friends of the Jerusalem Library] letterhead, with several corrections (probably not by Einstein), signed by Albert Einstein: "A. Einstein".
"Building a Jewish new Eretz Israel is not just a materialistic enterprise. Just as the body of the Jewish people needs a new homeland, so does the soul. When a spiritual center is founded in the ancient historic homeland, it will stop floating in the universe… the highlight of this cultural enterprise and its solid base is the establishment of a Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The construction of the University has just started. A scientific library is a necessary... Whoever is interested in a university, should assist in establishing a library. […] Now is the right time to link between the establishment of the library and the construction of the university. The library has to be built immediately! […] Whoever wishes to build a university and homeland for the Jewish soul – cannot evade the obligation to take part in establishing a university and national library in Jerusalem".
The "Public Appeal" was phrased during the establishment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As is understood from this document, Einstein served as vice-chairman of the "Gesellschaft der Freunde der Jerusalem-bibliothek", the chairman being Dr. Gustav Bradt. Einstein's contribution to this society (founded in December 1922) included his decision (in 1925), to donate three quarters of his library to the national library and transfer more than one thousand of his books to Jerusalem. Einstein also donated to the library forty-five leaves of the "General Theory of Relativity" manuscript.
Prof. Heinrich Loewe enlisted Einstein's support of establishing a library in Jerusalem: in a letter sent by Loewe to Einstein in September 1922 (no. 36.918 in Einstein's Archive in the NLI,) Loewe wrote: "May I refer to you two requests. For the library we have to realize now the idea of founding the "Gesellschaft der Freunde der Jerusalem-bibliothek" (Society of Friends of the Jerusalem Library) and for that we need your name as a committee member […] We kindly ask you to agree to the use of your acclaimed name and sign a public appeal, once it has been submitted to Weizmann for signature. I attach for this purpose the suggested version and kindly ask you to sign it".
[1] leaf, 29 cm. Good condition. Stains at margins. Folding marks.
Literature: Raphael Weiser, "Kol Koreh…" (Hebrew: Public appeal to support the establishment of a University and National Library in Jerusalem signed by Albert Einstein). In: "Al Sefarim ve-Anashim", no. 5. 1993.
Rare and Important Items
Rare and Important Items