Central European Jewish Manuscript Collection, [ca. 1800-ca. 1900].

.13 linear ft. (1 box)

Hungarian; German

Mostly in Hungarian and German.

Purchased from Yeshayahu Vinograd, 2003.

Over 100 documents and 40 certificates concerning the Jews of Burgenland, located in what is now Austria near the Hungarian border, mainly from the 19th century. Burgenland included the "seven communities" (sheva kehilot). Many documents stamped with the wax seals of officials from the seven communities and environs. Themes include daily life, trade, draft into the Austro-Hungarian army, family matters, and relations with the government. Specific items include government notice listing 2 Jews sought for avoiding draft; work permits and character appraisals for Jews living in Kittsee (Austria); official documents from the community of Karlburg, now called Rusovce (Slovakia); documents from small communities in Burgenland, such as Wieselburg, Austria, now known as Moson (Hungary), near Pressburg, Deutschkreutz (Austria), which the Jews called Tse'elelim so that they wouldn't have to say "the German cross," and Raab, now known as Gyor (Hungary).

March 13, 2003