Reḳṿyem 

David Einhorn, 1886–1973 (Author)

Menachem Birnbaum, 1893–1944 (Artist)

Reḳṿyem (Requiem)

Berlin: Rosenthal & co., 1922

Reḳṿyem (Requiem) by the Yiddish poet David Einhorn is a poignant tribute to 10 million victims of World War I (1914–18), the first global catastrophe of the 20th century. The title of this Yiddish poem draws a clear association with Mozart’s masterpiece, thus underscoring the universal scope of the tragedy. The striking cover, created by the well-known Austrian Jewish artist Menachem Birnbaum, further transcends religious and linguistic boundaries. The Gothic window alludes to a Catholic cathedral. David Einhorn’s name is engraved into the stones of the walls surrounding the window, while the poem’s title is presented against the white background. Its letters descend from above, gradually diminishing in size, adorned by skulls of different sizes—as if mourning the innocent casualties of various generations affected by the war.

Einhorn, a well-known Yiddish author, was born in Karelichy, Belarus, into a Jewish aristocratic family. He began writing in Hebrew at the age of 13, but when he became involved with the Jewish labor movement, he switched to Yiddish. He quickly became recognized for the intimate and romantic tone of his poetry. After being forced to leave the Russian Empire before World War I because of his underground revolutionary activities, he lived in France, Switzerland, and Poland before settling in Berlin in 1920, where he met Birnbaum.

Interestingly, in the introduction to the edition, Einhorn emphasized the musical nature of Rekvyem and stressed that it was intended for declamation at public gatherings. He urged those reciting the poem to use this newer version, as it was significantly expanded and edited from the original of 1919.