The Rainbow Haggadah, 42nd Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. Harry J. Collins Commanding

(HAGADAH).

(Germany)

1945

Hebrew in square characters with nikud (vowel points), instructions in English. On title, illustrated rainbow (insignia of the U.S 42nd Infantry Division) colored by hand, within, illustration of table decked with traditional Passover symbols. With introduction to “My Jewish Soldiers" by Major General Harry J. Collins on p. 2. Appended, an English “Prayer for Home" and the hymn "America."

Yerushalmi pl. 169; not in Ya'ari or Yudlov

Historic and exceptionally rare American Hagadah. In his “Haggadah and History” Yerushalmi quotes a letter written in April, 1945, to the librarian Alexander Marx by the Chaplain of the Rainbow Divison, explaining the historic circumstances under which this Hagadah was produced: “This is the very first Hebrew religious work printed in Germany since the beginning of the War...The soldiers who did the actual printing told us that when they had to clean the press before printing the Hagadah, the only rags that were available were Nazi flags - which for once served a useful purpose...” The symbolism of this Passover celebration at the Division Seder in Dahn, Germany, was not lost on commanding officer Major General Collins, who wrote in his letter - "The celebration of Passover should have unusual significance for you at this time, for like your ancestors of old, you too are now engaged in a battle for freedom against a modern Pharaoh. This Pharoah has sought, not only to enslave your people, but to make slaves of the whole world. God grant that victory for us will make it possible for you to celebrate the next Passover with your loved ones at home, in a world you helped make free.” The famed 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division landed in Europe in December 1944, fought through France and entered Germany in March of 1945. It was during the 42nd Division's rapid advance that on April 29th (four weeks after Pesach), they liberated some 30,000 inmates from the infamous Dachau concentration camp. By the end of the war, Rainbow soldiers had seized over 6,000 square miles of Nazi held territory during their march across Europe