Over the past decade or two, the formation, provenance, and history of manuscript collections around the world has become a focus of scholarly attention. This trend has prompted numerous studies of the Jerusalem-born cosmopolitan Abraham Shalom Yahuda (1877–1951), arguably the most important seller of Islamic manuscripts to Western collectors and libraries during the third and fourth decades of the twentieth century. One area that has not been studied is Yahuda's assistants, whom he employed over the years to write descriptions of the manuscripts in his possession. No attempt has been made to identify the individuals who worked for Yahuda at different times or to distinguish between the various languages (Arabic, German, English, French) and hands in which the extant catalog slips were written. It appears that Yahuda employed a number of Egyptian and German scholars over the years, some of whom worked for him longer than others. Among them were Hans Kindermann (1902–1979) and Hans Ludwig Gottschalk (1904–1981). The surviving evidence of their respective work for Yahuda is discussed in this study, as is the unsuccessful attempt of Hedwig Klein (1911–1942) to enter into Yahuda’s service in 1938.

An undated letter by Abraham Shalom Yahuda to Robert Garrett has long resisted precise dating. A fresh look at Yahuda’s correspondence with Enno Littmann now allows us to place it firmly in the years 1904–1906.

On 25 January 1930, the Cairene book dealer and publisher Muḥammad Amīn al-Khānjī (1865–1938) set out from Cairo on his journey to Iraq, via Haifa and Beirut, arriving in Baghdad on 1 February 1930. The purpose of the trip was to purchase books and manuscripts, most of which would eventually be sold to Abraham Shalom Yahuda (1877–1951), al-Khānjī’s principal client during those years. Al-Khānjī kept a notebook, including a detailed account of his trip until August 1930, his excursions to Najaf, Karbala, al-Hilla, Mosul, Kirkuk etc., his expenses for books and manuscripts, food (incl. coffee and tobacco) and accommodation, postal services (parcels, letters, telegrams), and the sums he paid for the various merchandise and products. Most important perhaps, he records the titles of manuscripts and printed books he purchased from his various interlocutors, library owners and brokers (and occasionally their respective sources), thus adding another layer to the study of the provenance of manuscripts that later on reached mostly Western libraries through Yahuda. The notebook is part of the Maktabat al-Khānjī Archive that has recently been purchased by a consortium of North American academic institutions and is now kept at the American University of Cairo. During his sojourn in Najaf in April 1930, al-Khānjī records his “acquisitions” from two descendants of the renowned scholar Jaʿfar b. Khaḍir b. Yaḥyā al-Janāḥī al-Ḥillī al-Najafī “Kāshif al-Ghiṭāʾ” (1743–1812), namely Muḥammad al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī b. Muḥammad Riḍā b. Mūsā b. Jaʿfar Kāshif al-Ghiṭāʾ (1877–1954) and his cousin Muḥammad Riḍā b. Hādī b. ʿAbbās b. ʿAlī b. Jaʿfar Kāshif al-Ghiṭāʾ (1887/88–1946/47). Their transactions with al-Khānjī are the focus of the present essay. As will be seen, in some cases at least, it turns out that al-Khānjī did not “purchase” the manuscripts in question ...

This book explores the lives and contributions of prominent scholars in Oriental studies during the early 20th century, many of whom faced profound challenges due to the rise of Nazism. Through detailed chapters, it examines figures like Friedrich Kern, Eugen Mittwoch, and Abraham Shalom Yahuda, highlighting their groundbreaking research, personal struggles, and the impact of their forced migrations. The narrative also delves into the transformation of Islamic studies, the loss of German leadership in the field, and the internationalization of scholarship. A poignant reminder of resilience, this work sheds light on the enduring legacy of these scholars in shaping modern Oriental studies.