Jews in New Athens by Benedykt Chmielowski Cover Image

Jews in New Athens by Benedykt Chmielowski
Jews in New Athens by Benedykt Chmielowski

Author(s): Jerzy Kroczak
Subject(s): History of Judaism
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: encyclopedism; New Athens; Benedykt Chmielowski

Summary/Abstract: Benedykt Chmielowski (1700–1763), a Catholic priest, the author of the New Athens encyclopedia (extended edition: Lwów, 1754–1756) included in his polyhistorical work plenty of information on issues related to Jews. The article discusses these issues and connects their specificity with the character of different parts of the work in which Chmielowski placed them as well as with the detected and secret sources of his knowledge about Jews (especially books by early modern scholars) and the ways he dealt with those sources. The author of the article also shows Chmielowski’s writing strategies, placing New Athens in the tradition of baroque encyclopedism—a literary production typical of the previous epoch.

  • Issue Year: 20/2017
  • Issue No: Special
  • Page Range: 45-69
  • Page Count: 25
  • Language: English