Chapter IV: Preface: To the Index Volume (4)

Although he was escaping the infirmities and ailments of the old, and considered himself perfectly well, and certainly felt vigorous, age had crept upon him insidiously. The action of his heart was so much impaired that his physicians became anxious about his condition. According to his annual custom he went to Carlsbad for the cure of minor indispositions. Thence he had planned to go to Munich on a few days’ visit to his oldest son, who occupied the position of “extraordinary” professor of physics at the University there, and then spend some time resting at Reichenhall with his son’s family. Shortly before the time set for his departure from Carlsbad, where he had not taken care of himself, he had a fainting spell of so serious a nature that the physician urged Mrs. Graetz to return to Breslau without delay. He considered the precaution exaggerated, and when he finally yielded, he refused to forego the trip to Munich. There, at his son’s house, he suffered, in the night between the sixth and the seventh of September, a violent attack of colic. Under the influence of opium administered by a physician the pain passed away, and he dropped to sleep. When his wife arose early in the morning to observe his condition, she found him lying in bed lifeless. His heart had ceased to act, and so a life replete with work and rich in attainment had too soon come to an end. His remains were transported to Breslau, and three days later, in the presence of a numerous gathering of his pupils and friends and amid demonstrations of general sympathy, they were consigned to the grave in the Jewish cemetery.

His wife, whose days are devoted to the memory of her celebrated husband, considered it incumbent upon her to publish his last work, the manuscript of which was all but complete, but of which only a few sheets had issued from the press at the time of Graetz’s death. The editor is Professor W. Bacher of Buda-Pesth, one of Graetz’s disciples, who has won honorable repute by his editions and his studies in the history of Hebrew grammar and exegesis. Besides the editorial work proper, he has been forced to supply from memoranda a considerable piece in the Prophets, which by some mischance had gone astray. On the whole, this critical Bible edition, by which the departed author set great store, has been pursued by peculiar ill-luck. Unlike his other productions it must miss the author’s pruning and correcting hand as it passes through the press. It is doomed to appear as an incomplete because a posthumous work. The title is: _Emendationes in plerosque Sacræ Scripturæ Veteris Testamente libros secundum veterum versiones nec non auxiliis criticis cæteris adhibitis. Ex relicto defuncti auctoris manuscripto edidit Guil. Bacher. 3 Pts. Breslau, 1892-1894._ The Hebrew text of the Bible is treated boldly and subjectively. But it remains for a later generation to pass final judgment upon the value of Graetz’s contributions to the critical determination of the Bible text. There can be no doubt that Graetz was as much a master in the field of exegesis as in that of history.

The time will come when his contemporaries will be envied for the privilege of having stood face to face with one so great and noble. Those days, to be sure, will not know the grief and sorrow that befell us when unexpectedly and without warning the revered teacher was removed from our sight. Still less will there be a suspicion of the self-reproaches that assail us too late for having frequently had a keen eye for the detection of minute shortcomings and inadequacies, the inherent foibles of the human kind, rather than a willing, attentive ear to listen to the suggestions and solutions so lavishly offered. After all, the most beautiful blossoms put forth by him, the best fruits produced by his mind, are in his writings; he that can read may enjoy them.

* * * * *

NOTE.--While this _Memoir_ was passing through the press, the
commission on the history of the Jews of Germany, spoken of on pp.
78-80, after five years of inactivity again showed signs of life in
the form of a valuable publication by a rabbi: _Das Martyrologium
des Nürnberger Memorbuches_ by Dr. S. Salfeld. At the same time,
the promise of the completion of _Die Regesten zur Geschichte der
Juden, etc._, is held out.

TABLES OF JEWISH HISTORY.

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF JEWISH HISTORY.

PERIOD PAGE
I. The Patriarchal Age 90

II. The Exodus 90

III. The Conquest of Canaan 90

IV. The Era of the Judges 90

V. The Kingdom (1067-977 B. C. E.) 91

VI. Judah and Israel until the Capture of Samaria
(977-719 B. C. E.) 92

VII. Judah until the Destruction of Jerusalem (719-586
B. C. E.) 94

VIII. The Captivity (586-516 B. C. E.) 95

IX. The Age of Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Scribes (516-332
B. C. E.) 96

X. The Age of the Ptolemies and the Seleucidæ to
Antiochus IV (332-175 B. C. E.) 97

XI. The Age of the Maccabees (175-140 B. C. E.) 98

XII. The Hasmonæan Dynasty (140-37 B. C. E.) 100

XIII. The Herodian Dynasty (37 B. C. E.-72 C. E.) 102

XIV. The Epoch of the Mishna and the Tanaites
(72-219 C. E.) 104

XV. The Epoch of the Talmud, the Amoraim, and the
Saboraim (219-550 C. E.) 106

XVI. From the Completion of the Talmud to the End of
the Gaonate (550-1038 C. E.) 108

XVII. The Age of Gebirol, Halevi, Rashi, and Maimonides
(1038-1204 C. E.) 111

XVIII. From the Death of Maimonides to the Expulsion
from Spain (1204-1492 C. E.) 114

XIX. From the Expulsion from Spain to the Persecution
in Poland (1492-1648 C. E.) 120

XX. From the Persecution in Poland to the Present Time
(1648-1873 C. E.) 123