It Came From the Stacks!
by Zachary Loeb, MSIS, Patron Services Librarian, Center for Jewish History

A hoofed, horned and tailed devil uses a lengthy feather to tickle the nose of a grinning bearded man wearing a pointed skullcap. The little devil sits atop a Samekh and the feather winds its way through the Yiddish word “Groyser” en route to the nose being tickled. If that description has you furrowing your brow, then know that I had an equally confused reaction the first time I beheld the masthead of Der Groyser Kundes (The Big Stick or The Big Prankster).   

The collections of the five partner institutions at the Center for Jewish History include hundreds of thousands of books and periodicals, as well as millions of items in archival collections. One of the most enjoyable aspects of working at the reference desk in the Lillian Goldman Reading Room (beyond the standard intrigue) is having the chance to discover all manner of new fascinating materials. Patrons at CJH request all kinds of items from the stacks. This is one of my favorites.

Founded in 1908 by Yoysef Tunkel (who used the pseudonym Der Tunkeler “The Dark One), Der Groyser Kundes entered into an already busy scene of Yiddish periodicals in New York. While other Yiddish newspapers of the time frequently ascribed to particular political lines, Der Groyser Kundes stood apart as “the only Jewish Weekly Illustrated Journal of Humor and Satire” (according to its masthead). The writers and artists aimed their satiric barbs at any targets they deemed worthy, and all of existence was deemed fair game for their witticisms. In its day Der Groyser Kundes enjoyed a wide readership (a circulation in the tens of thousands), and the paper mercilessly struck with its tickling feather (it was called The Big Stick, after all) until publication ceased in 1927.

While YIVO has no lack of interesting periodicals in Yiddish (and in other languages) what sets Der Groyser Kundes apart is the wonderful satirical political cartoons found throughout the paper. These comics, not unlike the masthead, blend monsters, animals, prominent figures of the day, and legendary beings (including angels, globe-headed figures [labeled “the world”] and even Uncle Sam). It may not be fully possible (if you cannot read Yiddish [like me]) to fully appreciate everything that’s happening on a jam-packed page from Der Groyser Kundes. But the cartoons alone make this a fascinating and enjoyable periodical to leaf through.                                                                                         

After a morning turning through the pages of Der Groyser Kundes, you’ll find yourself grinning and with a strong urge to learn to read Yiddish. I know I did, although it could have just been something tickling my nose.

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Above Image: Der Groyser Kundes, 1909. YIVO Library Periodicals Collection, (01500895).

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