File:Rabbinical School Vacquelire Street Paris (15475312168).jpg

The Séminaire Israélite de France (also referred to as the École Rabbinique) has been training rabbis since 1829. Though founded in Metz, the school was transferred to Paris by imperial decree in 1859, and relocated to the the Latin Quarter at 9 Rue Vauquelire in 1881. The educational focus of the institution aims to imbue students with a knowledge of general culture and philosophy in addition to Torah. When the Nazis seized Paris the operations of the school were temporarily transferred to Lyon where they were able to continue for a brief period before the functioning of the school was driven underground. After the end of the Second World War the institution reconstituted itself and continues to function – still at 9 Rue Vauquelire – to this day. The Séminaire is known for having one of the largest and most important Judaic libraries in Paris – and all of France – the presence of the institute’s book stamp amongst the books in the Offenbach depot is a reminder of a time when the library was almost destroyed.
This book stamp is from a book looted by the Nazis and sorted by Colonel Seymour Pomrenze, one of “the Monuments Men,” at the Offenbach Archival Depot.
There are two scrapbooks of archival markings from the books sorted at the Offenbach Depot in the Seymour Pomrenze Collection held by the American Jewish Historical Society (Call number P-933) There is a finding aid for the collection here The digitized scrapbooks are available here and here.

For more information on this project check the Center’s blog: 16thstreet.tumblr.com/tagged/Offenbach-Depot

Dr. Mitch Fraas, Acting Director of the Digital Humanities Forum at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries' Special Collections Center is working on a similar project for the German book stamps based on NARA microfilm of the volumes the American Jewish Historical Society currently holds. See viewshare.org/views/mfraas/offenbach-bookplates/

The Center for Jewish History would like to acknowledge the following: The American Jewish Historical Society, who graciously allowed the use of their archival materials and digital content; Mitch Fraas, Acting Director of the Digital Humanities Forum at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries' Special Collections Center, for his data and technical assistance in this project; David Rosenberg, Reference Services Research Coordinator, and Melanie Meyers, Senior Reference Services Librarian for Special Collections, for managing and creating the digital map; and Reference Services Intern Ilya Slavutskiy for his work on translating and mapping.