Hermann Schreiber
Encyclopedia
Hermann Schreiber was a German doctor of Philosophy, rabbi
and journalist.
(Schrimm) in the then Province of Posen
(in modern-day Poland). The family was already Germanized in his times (in the second half of the 19th century the Jewish community in the part of Poland which was then under Prussian rule generally adopted German culture and language). Hermann’s father, Pedasur Schreiber, taught Religion in the Jewish school and was an assistant to the rabbi; whereas his mother, Balbina née Schreier, managed the household. Hermann was the youngest and the only son of their five children. After passing his Abitur
examination in the High School in Śrem in 1901, he was studying at the Jewish Conservative Theological Seminary in Breslau, where he was ordained a rabbi, then at the University of Breslau, where he earned a degree of Doctor of Philosophy. In around 1910 he got married to Charlotte Neumann, with whom he had one son – Paul.
. He wrote articles in newspapers (incl. Israelitisches Familienblatt
), translated the Torah
from Hebrew into German, for many years was the rabbi in the synagogue in Potsdam. He was the chairman of the Jewish Liberal Youth Association, which was established in Potsdam in 1921; he was also an active member of the Association of Schrimmers (Verein der Schrimmer), an organization established in Berlin in 1902 by Jews descending from Śrem (Schrimm) who later emigrated to other provinces of the German Reich
.
took power in Germany in 1933, Hermann Schreiber, like other German Jews, was subjected to persecutions. In 1938, during Kristallnacht
, he witnessed the demolition of the Potsdam synagogue. Shortly afterwards he was put in Sachsenhausen concentration camp
. At the beginning of 1939, after his release from the camp, he managed to emigrate with his wife and son to the United Kingdom, where he lived in London. He continued his journalistic work, writing articles in English, contributed to the work of the Beth din
(house of judgment) of the Association of Synagogues in Great Britain. He also participated in the life of the Jewish community in Amsterdam
, and from 1952 he visited West Berlin
, where he took part in the celebrations of the Rosh Hashanah
(Jewish New Year). During one of those visits, he died during the celebrations, immediately after preaching a sermon in the synagogue at Pestalozzistrasse in Berlin. Hermann Schreiber was buried at the Jewish Weißensee Cemetery
in Berlin.
On 6 March 1927, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Association of Schrimmers, Hermann Schreiber delivered a lecture, which was later published in print as Schrimmer Jugenderinnerungen (Schrimm – Memories from Our Youth). The memories are a valuable source for research on the history of Jews in the Province of Posen
. Schreiber describes in the memories the daily life of his own family and other Jews living in Śrem, Jewish traditions, customs and festivals, but also the daily life of the Poles and Germans who lived in Śrem. The memories were translated into English.
In 2008 the memories were also translated into Polish and published by Krzysztof Budzyń
in the journal "Śremski Notatnik Historyczny" (Śrem’s Historical Notebook).
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and journalist.
Youth
Hermann Schreiber descended from a Jewish family which was settled in ŚremSrem
Śrem is a town on the Warta river in central Poland. It has been situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999; from 1975 to 1998 it was part of the Poznań Voivodeship...
(Schrimm) in the then Province of Posen
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....
(in modern-day Poland). The family was already Germanized in his times (in the second half of the 19th century the Jewish community in the part of Poland which was then under Prussian rule generally adopted German culture and language). Hermann’s father, Pedasur Schreiber, taught Religion in the Jewish school and was an assistant to the rabbi; whereas his mother, Balbina née Schreier, managed the household. Hermann was the youngest and the only son of their five children. After passing his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
examination in the High School in Śrem in 1901, he was studying at the Jewish Conservative Theological Seminary in Breslau, where he was ordained a rabbi, then at the University of Breslau, where he earned a degree of Doctor of Philosophy. In around 1910 he got married to Charlotte Neumann, with whom he had one son – Paul.
Activity in Germany
During the years 1912-1938 Hermann Schreiber lived in PotsdamPotsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
. He wrote articles in newspapers (incl. Israelitisches Familienblatt
Israelitisches Familienblatt
Israelitisches Familienblatt was a rather impartial Jewish weekly newspaper, which directed at Jewish readers of all alignments...
), translated the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
from Hebrew into German, for many years was the rabbi in the synagogue in Potsdam. He was the chairman of the Jewish Liberal Youth Association, which was established in Potsdam in 1921; he was also an active member of the Association of Schrimmers (Verein der Schrimmer), an organization established in Berlin in 1902 by Jews descending from Śrem (Schrimm) who later emigrated to other provinces of the German Reich
Reich
Reich is a German word cognate with the English rich, but also used to designate an empire, realm, or nation. The qualitative connotation from the German is " sovereign state." It is the word traditionally used for a variety of sovereign entities, including Germany in many periods of its history...
.
Emigration to Britain
When the NazisNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
took power in Germany in 1933, Hermann Schreiber, like other German Jews, was subjected to persecutions. In 1938, during Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
, he witnessed the demolition of the Potsdam synagogue. Shortly afterwards he was put in Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg was a Nazi concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany, used primarily for political prisoners from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May, 1945. After World War II, when Oranienburg was in the Soviet Occupation Zone, the structure was used as an NKVD...
. At the beginning of 1939, after his release from the camp, he managed to emigrate with his wife and son to the United Kingdom, where he lived in London. He continued his journalistic work, writing articles in English, contributed to the work of the Beth din
Beth din
A beth din, bet din, beit din or beis din is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel...
(house of judgment) of the Association of Synagogues in Great Britain. He also participated in the life of the Jewish community in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and from 1952 he visited West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, where he took part in the celebrations of the Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...
(Jewish New Year). During one of those visits, he died during the celebrations, immediately after preaching a sermon in the synagogue at Pestalozzistrasse in Berlin. Hermann Schreiber was buried at the Jewish Weißensee Cemetery
Weißensee Cemetery
The Weißensee Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery located in the neighborhood of Weißensee in Berlin, Germany. It is the second largest Jewish cemetery in Europe. The cemetery covers approximately and contains approximately 115,000 graves. It was dedicated in 1880....
in Berlin.
Memories
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....
. Schreiber describes in the memories the daily life of his own family and other Jews living in Śrem, Jewish traditions, customs and festivals, but also the daily life of the Poles and Germans who lived in Śrem. The memories were translated into English.
In 2008 the memories were also translated into Polish and published by Krzysztof Budzyń
Krzysztof Budzyń
Krzysztof Budzyń , is a Polish entrepreneur and amateur historian, specializing in the history of the Śrem region in western Poland, and author of many publications on this subject.- Education and business career :...
in the journal "Śremski Notatnik Historyczny" (Śrem’s Historical Notebook).
Further reading
- Hermann Schreiber, Schrimm – Memories from Our Youth, (transl. Werner S. Zimmt), in: "Stammbaum", Issue 25, 2004, pp. 10–19, http://digital.cjh.org///exlibris/dtl/d3_1/apache_media/242209.pdf
- Harold Reinhart, In Memoriam – Hermann Schreiber, in: "The Synagogue Review", volume XXIX, 1954, No 3, pp. 66–67
- Hermann Schreiber, Schrimmer Jugenderinnerungen, Verein der Schrimmer, Berlin, 1927
- Hermann Schreiber, Wspomnienia z mojej młodości w Śremie, transl. Danuta Banaszak, in: "Śremski Notatnik Historyczny", Issue 2, 2008, pp. 37–73 (Polish translation)
- Irene A. Diekmann, Jüdisches Brandenburg, Potsdam, 2008