Sendschreiben an Seine Hochwürden, Herrn Oberconsistorialrath und Probst Teller zu Berlin, von einigen Hausvätern jüdischer Religion. pp. (2), 86.

(FRIEDLAENDER, DAVID).

Berlin (third, Leipzig)

1799

* Bound with: [Teller, Wilhelm Abraham]. Beantwortung des Sendschreibens. pp. (4), 60. * [Hermes, Hermann Daniel]. Ueber das Sendschreiben…und die von demselben darauf ertheilte Antwort. pp. (2), 150. * De Luc, J.A. Lettres aux Auteurs Juifs d’un Mémoire Adressé à Mr Teller, Conseiller du Consistoire Supérieur, et Prévot à Berlin. pp. 99." Together four volumes bound in one. ALL FIRST EDITION. Bookplate of Helmut N. Friedlaender.

Freimann 233-34; Rosenberger Catalogue, Judaica (HUC, 1971) p.217 (illustrated); Eichstadt, Bibliographie zur Geschichte der Judenfrage (1938), nos. 334, 337, 348 and 346.

In 1799 Friedlaender, the main disciple of Moses Mendelssohn, sent this anonymous petition to Berlin’s Pastor Teller “In the Name of Some Jewish Householders,” requesting admittance to the Church - although without the obligation of accepting Christ or performing Christian ritual. Friedlaender believed Christianity and Judaism shared a common natural religion free of ritual. His request was denied, but a significant and contentious debate followed the “Open Letter” calling forth many replies. This historic Letter indicates the level of despair among certain groups of assimilated German Jews in their struggle to achieve civil equality.