The Munich Talmud – Printed by Holocaust Survivors After the War Munich-Heidelberg, 1949 – Complete Set, 19 Volumes ...

The Munich Talmud – Printed by Holocaust Survivors After the War Munich-Heidelberg, 1949 – Complete Set, 19 Volumes, Original Bindings

The Historic Initiative of the Holocaust Survivors

Before us is a rare and unique edition of the Babylonian Talmud, printed in Germany after the Holocaust by She'erit HaPletah (the surviving remnant) under the auspices of the Rabbinical Association in the American Zone of Germany. The Talmud was printed in Munich-Heidelberg in 1949 and is based on the Vilna Talmud edition.

After the great destruction of European Jewry, virtually no sacred books remained. In the ghettos and camps, the Nazis collected Jewish books and destroyed them, attempting to erase Torah knowledge for future generations. In the introduction to the "Munich Talmud, " Rabbi Sniag and Rabbi Roz vividly describe the forced collection and destruction of Jewish holy books:

"We still remember that bitter day when the decree was issued in the ghetto by the Nazi regime, may their name be erased, to gather all the books in one place in order to remove and destroy them, and a death sentence was imposed on anyone who kept even a single book."

After the war, the surviving Jews took the initiative and established makeshift printing houses to reprint sacred books, with the pinnacle of this endeavor being the printing of the Talmud.

Printing the Talmud – A Symbol of Jewish Revival

The initiative was led by the "Rescue Committee" of the Rabbinical Association in the USA, headed by Rabbi Roz and Rabbi Shmuel Aba Sniag, who secured financial support from the Joint Distribution Committee and the American military government. Initially, a single volume containing tractates Nedarim and Kiddushin was printed, and later, in 1949, the complete set of 19 large volumes was published.

A total of only 600 sets were printed, of which only 100 reached the Land of Israel.

The Uniqueness of the "Survivors' Talmud"

This edition is known as "The Munich Talmud" or "The Survivors' Talmud" and is characterized by specially designed colorful title pages, marking the historic event of printing the Talmud on the scorched earth of Germany.

Distinctive features of the title pages:

Illustrations of Jewish towns in the Land of Israel

Depiction of a Nazi labor camp, surrounded by barbed wire

The inscription: "Labor camp in Germany during the Nazi era"

The verse: "Had Your Torah not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction"

Incorporation of themes of redemption and resurgence

These special illustrations were drawn by G. Rosenkranz, whose signature appears at the bottom of the title pages.

Complete set of 19 volumes, original bindings

Overall good condition. Some minor tears and a few detached pages. Some wear on the thickness of a few bindings.

A Highly Sought-After Edition

This edition is considered a highly desirable collector's item, as it is a powerful historical symbol of the revival of Torah study after the destruction of European Jewry.

"The Munich Talmud is not just a book – it is a living testimony to the triumph of the Jewish spirit!"