Leo Baeck Institute London

The international project Library of Lost Books, spearheaded by the Leo Baeck Institutes in Jerusalem and London, has been awarded the Bronze Prize in the category Activation and Mobilisation at the prestigious German PR Awards 2025. The accolade recognises the project’s innovative approach to engaging global audiences in its mission to recover Nazi-looted Jewish books.

The award highlights the project’s success in fostering global collaboration and raising awareness about cultural restitution. For more details on this year’s winners, visit the official German PR Awards website: https://pr-preis.de/gewinner-2025/

The Herlingen Haggadah (Seder Haggadah shel Pesah), written and illustrated by Aaron Wolf Herlingen in Pressburg (modern-day Bratislava) in 1729–1730, is a cherished piece of Jewish history. This beautifully illustrated book has a fascinating story to tell: it was part of a daring rescue mission during the Second World War, when Alexander Guttmann smuggled it, along with other precious texts, out of Nazi Germany to the United States in 1940.

The Leo Baeck Institute London is pleased to announce the launch of our new brochure which outlines our work on the history and culture of German-speaking Jewry.

Printed copies will be available at all LBI events, while a digital version can be downloaded at https://www.lbilondon.ac.uk/brochure.pdf, or please view the flipbook version below.

The Leo Baeck Institute London is excited to share new photos from the eleventh biennial meeting of the International Feuchtwanger Society (IFS), held in September 2024 at Senate House, University of London.

The conference proceedings will be published as part of the Feuchtwanger Studies series by the Peter Lang Verlag. This publication will feature revised papers presented during the conference and will contribute to ongoing research into the life and work of the internationally celebrated German writer Lion Feuchtwanger.

The Leo Baeck Institute celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2025 with President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier as its new patron. Founded in 1955 by German-speaking Jewish émigrés, the LBI has become a global leader in preserving and studying German-Jewish history, with branches in Jerusalem, London, and New York.

President Steinmeier praised the Institute’s work in international research and the promotion of German-Jewish culture and history. “Leo Baeck ‒ and this is his legacy ‒ pursued reconciliation between the religions and cultures, between Christians and Jews in Germany”, said President Steinmeier. He emphasised that the Institute’s work deserves recognition and support.

Hugo Preuß was a pivotal figure in German history, shaping the Weimar Constitution and laying the foundations for modern German democracy. A liberal thinker and legal scholar, he envisioned a federal Germany built on civic participation and the rule of law – an alternative to the authoritarian traditions of the past. Influenced by 19th-century liberalism, Preuß championed decentralisation and individual rights, ideas that later influenced the Basic Law of the Federal Republic.

For the academic year 2025/26, the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes is once again awarding up to ten doctoral scholarships to doctoral students working on a dissertation in the field of German-Jewish Studies. The Leo Baeck Programme is run in cooperation with the Leo Baeck Institute London and the Leibniz Institute for Jewish History and Culture – Simon Dubnow. Applications can be submitted from now until April 21st, 2025.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the remarkable women who have shaped German-Jewish history and culture.

Explore their stories and more here:
https://www.lbilondon.ac.uk/snapshots/international-womens-day-lbi-lond…

Moritz Lazarus, a prominent intellectual of the 19th century, played an important role in shaping liberal Jewish thought. His ideas on societal integration and individual freedom were groundbreaking for his time. Lazarus advocated for a society where individuals could flourish through their participation and contribution, rather than being defined by race or religion. His concept of ‘Volksgeist’ emphasized the dynamic nature of collective identity, viewing it as a product of human interaction and culture.

The Leo Baeck Institute’s Library of Lost Books project continues to uncover fascinating historical insights through its various research initiatives. Recently, a workshop was held at the Martin-Buber-Institute for Jewish Studies in Cologne, organised in collaboration with Germania Judaica. This event brought together experts in provenance research and Jewish cultural heritage.