The End of a Library: The Wartime Fate of the Library of the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums Library Collections

Abstract

This article examines the wartime fate of the book collection from the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums (Higher Institute for Jewish Studies), one of the most significant Jewish libraries in pre-war Europe. Confiscated by the Nazis and absorbed into the holdings of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Security Main Office) for antisemitic research, little was known about its fate after the war, leading many to assume it was lost for good. The article uncovers previously unknown aspects of the collection’s history, highlighting how it was appropriated, cataloged, and exploited by the Nazis as well as how remnants were discovered after the war. By focusing on this specific case, the article sheds light on the broader patterns of Nazi book plundering during World War II.