Henrietta Szold meets Gluckel of Hameln - Critical Essay - Brief Article

Judaism, Spring, 2002 by Roberta Hanfling Schwartz

(38.) But under Schloessinger, "Mrs. Max Schloessinger, of Hamburg, informed the committee that she was about to complete a translation of the Memoirs of Gluckel von Hameln. She desires to know whether the Society would undertake to publish it" (Jewish Publication Society Archive, Box 1C, Folder 3).

(39.) The appearance of the Feilchenfeld edition was certainly a compelling force. A year later the Committee notes suddenly record that two new specimens of Gluckel translations by Miss Tina Stettauer of London, and Miss Judith Goepp of Philadelphia have been submitted. The translators wanted to know if the Jewish Publication Society would give them a green light to continue. A subcommittee consisting of Mr. Felix Gerson, Mr. Samuel Strauss, and Rabbi Jacob Kohn were the readers assigned. The secretary was advised to contact Mrs. Schloessinger regarding her correspondence on this matter of the year previous (Jewish Publication Society Archive, Box 1C, folder 5). Were the two additional translators brought in because Committee members knew that Mrs. Schloessinger was Szold's cousin and they were acting to avoid the suspicion of conflict of interest? The subcommittee's verdict appeared on October 3, 1915.

Mrs. Schloessinger's translation had the value of closer adherence to the original, but was lacking in style. Mr. Gerson considered Miss Goepp's and Mr. Strauss considered Mrs. Stettauer's the best rendition from the point of view of English.

Max Schloessinger, a scholar from Germany, had worked with Szold in 1903 writing entries for the Jewish Encyclopedia, where he was an office editor. Private correspondence from him to Szold reveals his detailed involvement in the Gluckel translation. Fortuitously, the couple resided then in Hamburg--Gluckel's hometown and place of residence for the first two-thirds of her life.

(40.) Jewish Publication Society Archive, General Correspondence, Miriam Schloessinger to Henrietta Szold, 12.6.1914.

(41.) Jewish Publication Society Archive, Max Schloessinger to Henrietta Szold, 1.18.1915.

(42.) By February 16, 1916, the subcommittee had undergone changes. Dr. Joseph Jacobs and Dr. Alexander Marx had replaced Mr. Gerson and Rabbi Kohn. The newly constituted group agreed to move Mrs. Schloessinger's work forward with the understanding that she "recast her whole translation on the model framed for her by the subcommittee."

(43.) Jewish Publication Society Archive, 11.25.1929.

(44.) Jewish Publication Society Archive, 3.10.1930.

(45.) Miss B. Z. Lask's translation was completed by 1932, but could not find a publisher. It would take until 1962 when Dr. Bela and Lotte Horovitz, of London, brought her translation to press (Horovitz Publishing Company), under her married name, Beth Zion Abrahams.

(46.) American Jewish Historical Society, Lowenthal Papers.

(47.) To replace Henrietta Szold, The Jewish Publication Society engaged Benzion Halper, with the title of editor. But he worked for them only half time; the remainder reserved for his research. George Dobsevage, the full-time Assistant Secretary (1906-26), was known to be disorganized, neglectful of correspondence, and forgetful. See Sarna, pp. 138, 149.