HaEmet – Die Wahrheit – monthly journal edited by Arthur Freeman, [Aharon Shmuel Leibermann]. Vienna, 1877.
Complete set of the first Hebrew Socialist newspaper’s issues, including a four-page leaflet and three booklets. No more were printed.
The first booklet was confiscated by the police in Vienna on May 15, 1877 and Leibermann had to print a second edition. Due to the great demand, he also printed a third edition of the first booklet. Before us is the first, rare edition which was rescued from police seizure as it was printed – sheets uncut at the press. Very rare.
Aharon Shmuel Leiberman (1845-1880): Jewish revolutionary, pioneer of Jewish socialism, the first to preach Socialism in Hebrew, founder of the first Hebrew Socialist journal, HaEmet , and the first Jewish Socialist Society, and author of a number of important Socialist leaflets and articles. He was known by the pseudonym, “Daniel Ish Chamudot,” and “Bar Drora.”
When he was in St. Petersburg, Leibermann was exposed to revolutionary Socialist ideas. Upon finishing his studies he returned to Vilna and joined Socialist circles in 1872. He began his underground political activities there. He tried to establish active Socialist circles in the rabbinic study hall. Because of an informer, the Czar’s police conducted a large search there, and Leibermann was rescued from detention and manged to escape, while many of his Socialist friends were arrested and imprisoned for long periods.
In 1879 he was arrested in Germany on charges of prohibited revolutionary activity, and imprisoned for a year. When he was released, he immigrated to the United States where he committed suicide following entanglements in his personal life.
4, 56 pages, 22 cm. Very fine condition except for light stains on the title page of the first issue.