Booksellers in Exile

The seizure of power by the Nazis in 1933 was a decisive event also in the world of book collecting and antiquarian bookselling. Hundreds of rare book dealers, booksellers, publishers and auctioneers – among them the most famous of the trade – were murdered by the Nazis.

Those who survived were forced to close their companies or they were forced to hand their antiquarian bookshops, publishing houses and auction houses over to the Nazis. Only if they left behind their whole existence was it possible for them to leave Nazi Germany and to escape to other countries all over the world. Some emigrants were fortunate enough to build up a new business in their new home country; a few of them became very successful, whereas other antiquarian booksellers or publishers never found their feet again.

In memoriam of the numerous colleagues who were murdered or forced to emigrate by the Nazi regime the German Antiquarian Booksellers‘ Association (VDA) published Ernst Fischer’s opus magnum

Verleger, Buchhändler & Antiquare aus Deutschland und Österreich in der Emigration nach 1933

This important handbook reconstructs the biographies of all German and Austrian rare book dealers, booksellers, publishers and auctioneers who emigrated from Germany after 1933. Some of the most impressive stories told in Ernst Fischer’s book will be published on the websites of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers and of the German Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association within the upcoming weeks. ILAB and VDA owe Professor Ernst Fischer their sincere thanks for giving permission to republish parts of his book.

>>> Abraham Horodisch (1898-1987)

>>> William Salloch (1906-1990)

>>> Bernard Amtmann (1907-1979)

>>> Emil Offenbacher (1909-1990)

>>> Emil Hirsch (1866-1954)

>>> Friedrich Sally Grosshut (1906-1969)

>>> Paul Graupe (1881-1953)

>>> Susan Bach (1909-1997)

>>> Pablo Keins (1909-1967)

>>> Lucien Goldschmidt (1912-1992)

>>> Heinrich Eisemann (1890-1972)

To be continued.