Laṭayner, Yosef, 1853-1935

The collection contains play manuscripts, programs, playbills, posters, photographs, correspondence, agreements, scrapbooks, clippings, printed ephemera, and memorabilia relating to Yiddish theater primarily in the early twentieth century, especially the interwar period. Also included are items of printed ephemera related to Yiddish film, Hebrew theater, and a broad range of Jewish performers, including cantors, singers and dancers. Geographically, the materials originate predominantly in Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe, including parts of the Russian Empire and, later, the Soviet Union; and, to a lesser extent, the United States, especially New York City. Also included are materials from Western Europe, Palestine (Eretz Israel), South America, and other regions around the world. Among the theater personalities represented in the collection with significant amounts of material are Herz Grossbard, David Herman, Joseph Winogradoff, Rudolf Zaslavsky, Zygmunt Turkow, Jonas Turkow, Moyshe Lipman, Ida Kaminska, and Esther Rachel Kaminska. The theater groups best represented include the Varshever Yidisher Kunst-Teater (VYKT; Warsaw Yiddish Art Theater), founded by Zygmunt Turkow and Ida Kaminska; the Vilna Troupe; Yung Teater / Nay Teater (Warsaw; Vilna), under the direction of Michael Weichert; the Moscow State Yiddish Theater (known by its Russian acronym "GOSET"); Maurice Schwartz's Yiddish Art Theatre, of New York; and the Hebrew theater "Habimah." A wide variety of other professional as well as amateur theater groups are represented with smaller amounts of material.

- "Yudele oder emes v-sheker." Music by Friedsell. In an unspecified locality in Poland. Theater of K. M. Ebel. Directed by Jacob Prizament.

- "Di seyder nakht," 3 items. In Kowel, 1918, directed by I. Nozyk, benefit for Zishe Katz. In Chełm, 1917, troupe of S. Herszkowicz, for the benefit of the "Arbeiter Heim." In Warsaw, troupe of L. Rappel, benefit for Herman Feinstein on his 25th anniversary in theater (1909).

- "Yom hakhupe" in Vilna. Directed by I. Nozyk, for the benefit of war invalids.

- "Shloymke shlimazl" in Paris. Fanny Waxman and her company, with Morris Axelrad.

- "Dos yudishe herts," 2 items. In Lublin, 1916, directed by Herszkowicz, troupe of Yankev Vaksman, for the benefit of the Khevre "Hakhnoses Kale." In Chicago, 1921.

- "Dovid's fidele" in Vilna. Directed by L. Szryftzecer.

- "Shloym'ke un Rikl" in Vilna. Farewell performance of composer and conductor Mordecai Hochberg, and actors Avrom Levin and Rokhl Hochberg.

- "Yoysef in Egypten"/"Yosef in Mitsraim," 3 items. In Vilna, directed by J. Strugacz. In Łódź. In an unspecified locality in Poland, directed by Sh. Frukhtman.

- "Khinke-Pinke," 4 items. In Warsaw, 1914, troupe of Kompaneyets. In Vilna, 1931, directed by Jozef Chasz. In Danzig, 1926, benefit for and starring J. M. Weksler. In Łódź.

- "Ishe-roe," 5 items. In Warsaw, 1913-1914, troupe of Kompaneyets. In Warsaw. In Vilna, guest appearances of B. Abelman. In Vilna, directed by M. Zayderman.

- "Khurbn Yerusholaim," 4 items. In Vilna, directed by D. Zayderman. In Warsaw, 1917, with Serotsky and Adler. In Wieluń, Fareynigte Artisten fun Lodzer un Varshaver Artisten-Fareyn. In Łódź, featuring Morris Lampe.

Clipping of an appreciation by Joseph Rumshinsky, evidently written shortly after Lateiner's death. 1 item.

Music by Mogulescu (Mogulesko). Censor's copy, with handwritten note at back: "Genehmigt für" (approved for) the Palast Theater, dated 7 June 1901; stamp of imperial Prussian Police (Koen. Pr. Polizei Praesidium), Berlin. Accession no. 141/2539.

German translation by an unidentified author, of an operetta by Lateiner.

Russian censor's stamp, St. Petersburg, 1 September 1906 (title page) and red wax seal (last page). Accession no. 676/5583.

Translated and adapted for the German stage ("bearbeitet für die deutsche Bühne") by M. Genfer, based on the Yiddish-language operetta by Lateiner.

Contains 4 acts. Signed on the last page by souffleur Moshe Blauner[?]. The title "Goldene khasene" transliterated in Russian characters is written on a label on the cover. Cover has Russian-language labeling from an unidentified theater library.

From the library of the Yidishe Dramaturgn-Lige (League of Yiddish Playwrights), N. Stutchkoff section, New York, 1931 (note on cover). Accession no. 474/3735 (stamp).

Music by Abramovitsh. Dated on last page, in Russian, Kharkov, 15 November 1916. Russian-language stamp of N. S. Lipovski Theater, 6 February 1917. Accession no. 334/3595 (stamp).

Copied by Leon Shlamovitsh ("af reyn yidish"). Dated on the last page, in Russian, 2 March 1916. Accession no. 50/2298 (stamp).

Contains 4 acts. Copied by N. Kam (note on last page). Cover has labeling in Yiddish and Russian, including a number and remnants of a spine label. Accession no. 86/2334.

Actor's role book for role of "Hillel." There is a signature (not decipherable) at the end of the play proper; additional text follows, apparently song lyrics. 7 leaves.

Dated on the last page, in Russian, Kharkov, 14 January 1917. Russian-language stamp of N. S. Lipovski Theater, 6 February 1917. On the page with the list of characters, actors' last names are noted in pencil, including: Bulov (Buloff), Vinter (Winter), Yaroslavska, Nozhik (Nozyk), Kutznietsov, Kruk. Only the title page has a stamped number. Accession no. 470/3731 (stamp). 46 leaves.

Music by Peretz Sandler. Russian stationer's stamp. Cover has Russian-language labeling from an unidentified theater library. Accession no. 48/2296 (stamp).

Contains 4 acts. Lacks a title page. Cover has Russian-language labeling from an unidentified theater library. Accession no. 92/2340 (stamp).

Covers only, of a published copy of the play; Warsaw, series "Yudishe Theatr-Bibliotek" (Jewish Theater Library), no. 6. Publisher name not given. Includes lists of other plays in the series. Cover has Russian-language labeling from an unidentified theater library. Accession no. 49/2297 (stamp).

Cover has Russian-language labeling from an unidentified theater library. Notebook manufactured in Warsaw. Accession no. 115/2363 (stamp).

L. Shtrasfogel (Strassfogel) is given as the author on the title page, and on the YIVO Vilna Theater Museum label; however, on the original handwritten inventory list created at YIVO in New York, in connection with the processing by Jonas Turkow, the attribution is followed by a question mark in square brackets. The play is possibly an adaptation of Joseph Lateiner's Aleksander, also an operetta in 4 acts. See also: a partial German-language translation by Genfer of what appears to be the same play, under the title "Die stumme Prinzessin, oder Das Kind im Walde," in YIVO's digitized collection RG 8000 (held in the Lithuanian Central State Archives), Shipping List 8, Folder 113.