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Emil Bernhard Cohn Collection

 Collection
Identifier: AR 793

Scope and Content Note

This collection contains a few letters sent to Cohn by notables such as Leo Baeck, Stefan Zweig, Martin Buber, and others, as well as a couple of Cohn's sermons and manuscripts and two scrapbooks.

The letters from Leo Baeck, Martin Buber, Theodor Heuss, and Dr. Ascher all reference the controversy surrounding Cohn's deposition from his post in the Berlin community, in most cases expressing solidarity and offering assistance. Later, the two letters from Stefan Zweig (addressed to Cohn's pseudonym Emil Bernhard) express admiration for Cohn's writings.

Also present in the second folder are handwritten, printed, and typescript sermons, including Cohn's final sermon for the Berlin community and memorial sermons for Theodor Herzl, as well as a couple of other manuscripts. The two scrapbooks consist mainly of newspaper clippings, some with Cohn's notes and writings, relating to the controversy surrounding Cohn's deposition from his post in the Berlin community. While many of the clippings come from Jewish newspapers, there are several from mass market newspapers and even some from anti-semitic publications. In addition, the scrapbooks hold some flyers for public and community meetings and for protests relating to the Cohn controversy.

Dates

  • 1899-1948

Creator

Language of Materials

This collection is in German, English and Yiddish.

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers.

Access Information

Collection is digitized. Follow the links in the Container List to access the digitized materials.

Use Restrictions

There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact:

Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011

email: lbaeck@lbi.cjh.org

Biographical Note

Cohn was born in Berlin in 1881 into a liberal and observant Jewish family with Zionist sympathies. After completing his religious education he was appointed as a Prediger in the Berlin Jewish community, but he was suspended in 1907 because of pro-Zionist comments ascribed to him. His suspension unleashed an uproar within the Jewish community of Berlin, which at the time was strongly divided over Zionism and Herzl's writings. Despite organized protests and community meetings, Cohn was forced ultimately out of his appointment in the Berlin community. Over the next decades, he served elsewhere as a rabbi and began publishing plays and essays under the pseudonym Emil Bernhard. He emigrated to the United States in 1939 and remained there until his death in 1948.

Extent

3 Folders (+ 1 oversized folder)

Abstract

This collection contains a few letters sent to Cohn by notables such as Leo Baeck, Stefan Zweig, Martin Buber, and others, as well as a couple of Cohn's sermons and manuscripts and two scrapbooks.

Other Finding Aid

The original German-language inventory is available in folder 1.

Separated Material

Some photographshave been removed to the LBI Photograph Collection.

To see photographs click here.

Title
Guide to the Emil Bernhard Cohn Collection, 1899-1948  AR 793
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Timothy Ryan Mendenhall
Date
© 2011
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Revision Statements

  • March 20, 2012 : Links to digital objects added in Container List.

Repository Details

Part of the Leo Baeck Institute Repository

Contact:
15 West 16th Street
New York NY 10011 United States