U.S. Authorities Return Rare 16th-Century Jewish Manuscript Looted by Nazis to Budapest Seminary

What's Happening?

Authorities in New York have successfully returned a rare 16th-century Jewish manuscript, known as 'Di Gara', to the Rabbinical Seminary in Budapest. This manuscript, which contains the Five Books of Moses and the Haftarot, was printed in Venice and was part of the collection of Italian rabbi Lelio Della Torre. It was looted during the Nazi occupation of Budapest in 1944 and was considered lost for nearly 80 years. The manuscript resurfaced on a U.S. rare book website, AbeBooks, where it was listed for sale at $19,000. Hungarian officials alerted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading to its seizure in New York. A federal judge later signed a forfeiture order for its return. A special event at the Hungarian Consulate in New York marked the restitution, attended by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and Hungary’s ambassador to the U.S.

Why It's Important?

The return of the 'Di Gara' manuscript is significant as it represents a successful effort to restore cultural artifacts looted during World War II. This restitution not only corrects a historical wrong but also strengthens international cooperation in cultural heritage preservation. The manuscript's return is a symbolic victory for the Jewish community, highlighting the importance of preserving cultural and historical artifacts. It also underscores the ongoing efforts by U.S. authorities to combat the illegal trade of cultural property and to return stolen artifacts to their rightful owners.

What's Next?

The successful return of the 'Di Gara' manuscript may encourage further international collaboration in recovering other looted artifacts. It sets a precedent for similar cases, potentially leading to more restitutions of cultural treasures lost during wartime. The event may also prompt other institutions and collectors to scrutinize the provenance of their collections more closely, ensuring that they do not possess looted or stolen items.