Typographia Orientalis (first Jewish printing house)

In the 17th century, there was a prohibition in Frankfurt am Main according to which Jews were not allowed to own or run their own printing shops. Since there was nevertheless brisk trade in Hebrew books at Frankfurt fairs, Jewish printers either had to resort to other, Christian printing houses in Frankfurt, or move to surrounding cities where there was no prohibition of this kind. One of these "alternative cities" was Hanau.

Hebrew / Jewish printing houses existed in Hanau from 1609 to 1630 and 1707 to 1745. The "Typographia Orientalis" marks the beginning of Hebrew printing in Hanau, it existed under changing ownership from 1609 to 1630. The founding members of this printing house were the three Frankfurt patron Jews Isaak zum Krebs, Abraham zum Goldenen Schaf and Samuel zur Weißen Rose, as well as the Christian printer who came from Basel and resided in Hanau, Hans Jakob Henne. On May 1, 1609, these, together with the Hanau Jew Salomon from Judengasse, received a "Privilegium Exclusivum", i.e. the privilege to print books, for ten years. They had to pay an annual tax of 50 gulden and use the Hanau Jew Leiwmann as a guarantor. Until the end of the printing house in 1630, which was caused by the Thirty Years' War, about 30 different Hebrew books were printed there, a considerable number for that time.

However, the "Typographia Orientalis" was not only the first Jewish printing house in Hanau, but also one of the first of its kind ever. Consequently, Hanau's Jewish printing was one of the oldest and supplied the Frankfurt fairs with supplies, thus also representing a considerable factor in the national trade of Hebrew books.