The Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, which houses the University of Amsterdam’s collection of Jewish cultural history, is considered the largest Jewish library on the European mainland and one of the most important Jewish libraries in the world. The collection spans over four centuries and includes materials in various languages, including Hebrew, Dutch, German, Yiddish, Portuguese, and Spanish. Numerous rare manuscripts, early printed books, prints, ephemeral materials, and archival documents on a wide range of topics reflect the diversity of Jewish culture. A key focus is the history of Dutch Jewry and Hebrew book printing. The history of the Jewish community in Amsterdam is prominently featured, but there is also rich documentation of the local Jewish histories from other cities, regions, and villages in the Netherlands and beyond. This fellowship offers the opportunity to conduct research using the unique and diverse materials from the collections of the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana.
Suggested research topics:
• Jewish printers and printing techniques in Amsterdam
• Early modern manuscripts
• Religious developments within 19th- and 20th-century Dutch Jewry, particularly outside Amsterdam
• Dutch Jewish associations in the 19th and 20th centuries, including those involved in charity, refugee aid, healthcare, religious and cultural activities, education, or other social causes
• Jewish visual history
• The international organization ‘Pekidim and Amarkalim’ and Jewish settlement in Mandatory Palestine around 1900
• Or other topics related to the collections of the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana.
Searching the collection
The subcollections of the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana can be found in various locations. Printed works can be found in the University of Amsterdam’s online catalogue. Manuscripts are catalogued in the printed volume by L. Fuks, Hebrew and Judaic Manuscripts in Amsterdam Public Collections I: Catalogue of the Manuscripts of the Biblioth
eca Rosenthaliana, University Library of Amsterdam (1973) — available digitally. Archives are described through the Collection Descriptions. Efforts are currently being made to make the yet-uncatalogued manuscripts, archival materials, prints, and photographs accessible.
Questions
Questions about the collections can be directed to curators Rachel Boertjens (r.j.boertjens@uva.nl) or Anna de Wilde (a.e.dewilde@uva.nl). As coordinator of the fellowship programme Anna de Wilde also answers questions about the application process.
Guidelines
Read more about the guidelines and the application process here.
