The Discovery of the Guttmacher Kvitlach

A significant collection of handwritten petitions known as the Guttmacher Kvitlach was discovered by a group of ethnographers in 1932 in Poland. These papers were addressed to Rabbi Eliyahu Guttmacher, a figure who was both prominent and unconventional among 19th-century Jewish leaders, as he was a Misnagdik rabbi attracting many visitors seeking blessings and advice. The petitions reveal the personal struggles of ordinary Jews at the time, often detailing financial troubles, health concerns, and the pressures of societal changes. Historian Glenn Diner emphasizes that these documents provide a unique glimpse into the everyday realities of Jewish life during a period marked by emerging modernity and social upheaval, although the backstories of the petitioners often remain elusive.