Ludwig Rosenthal
Ludwig Rosenthal | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Fellheim, Bavaria |
| Died | December 23, 1928 (aged 88) Munich, Germany |
| Occupation | Antiquarian bookseller |
| Known for | Founding Rosenthal Antiquarian; significant collection of rare books and manuscripts |
Ludwig Rosenthal (born 2 July 1840 in Fellheim, Bavaria – died 23 December 1928 in Munich) was a prominent German antiquarian bookseller. His father, Joseph Rosenthal, was a collector of rare books and assorted curiosities. After completing an apprenticeship in Ellwangen, Ludwig established his own enterprise initially in Fellheim before moving to Munich in 1868, where he set up shop at 16 Hildegardstrasse, close to the Bavarian National Museum.
Biography
As the firstborn of Joseph Rosenthal, who operated an art and antiques business in Fellheim, Ludwig was raised within the local Jewish community. His mother, Dorlene Bacharach, descended from a Jewish family engaged in butchery. He attended a Jewish-Christian school before transferring at age thirteen to the Buxheim Charterhouse. Following his apprenticeship with bookseller Isaak Hess in Ellwangen, Rosenthal launched his own venture dealing in art and antiques in Fellheim in 1859.
In 1867, Ludwig and his brother Jacob (who later adopted the name Jacques) relocated to Munich and founded "Rosenthal Antiquarian." Their collection featured rare treasures, including a 1523 map documenting Magellan's voyage around the globe. Rosenthal acquired important holdings from various libraries such as St. Vitus' Abbey on the Rott, the Leutkirch city library, Jesuit College at Landsberg am Lech, Buxheim Charterhouse, among others. By the dawn of the twentieth century, their stock surpassed one million volumes—outnumbering even the Bavarian State Library.
By 1905, Ludwig incorporated his sons Adolf, Heinrich, and Norbert as partners in the business. Throughout his career, he produced over 180 significant catalogues and mentored distinguished dealers including Martin Breslauer, Maurice Ettinghausen, and Emil Hirsch. His contributions were instrumental in establishing Munich as a leading hub for incunabula and manuscript commerce within Germany. He passed away in 1928.
Nazi persecution of family
Following Adolf Hitler's rise to power in 1933, members of the Rosenthal family endured persecution due to their Jewish ancestry. His daughter Lina Rosenthal along with sons Abraham Adolf and Nathan Norbert Rosenthal perished in the Theresienstadt Ghetto. Meanwhile, Heinrich Hugo Rosenthal succeeded in emigrating to the United States.
Legacy
The Rosenthal family business continues today across the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and United States, specializing in rare antique books and music. Their expertise encompasses Incunabula, early printed works, Hebraica, Humanism, illustrated volumes, and prints.