Weddings in Jewish culture have long been marked by special ceremonies. They brought joy to people while fulfilling religious obligations. Before the ceremony, the bride and groom must fast and focus on penitential prayer. Then, in the presence of witnesses, they sign a marriage contract that includes marital obligations. The groom is escorted under a canopy (usually set up in the courtyard of the synagogue) by his father and future father-in-law. The bride is brought in by her mother and mother-in-law, carrying lit candles (see A. Unterman, Żydzi. Wiara i życie, Lodz 1989, pp. 182–186).
The postcard presented here is a reproduction of an artwork by an unspecified artist. In the foreground, a group of Jews dressed in bekishes and caps trimmed with fox fur is walking. In the first row, the groom is walking, being led by the hands. At the forefront, there is a man with a lantern in his right hand. In the background, against the backdrop of buildings, there is a group of musicians and people observing the ceremony. Under the reproduction, there is an inscription in Polish and Yiddish: "Music!!! The groom is coming!". Above the print, there is a handwritten, partially faded pencil note in German, which translates the inscription.
On the back, at the top edge, there is a print that reads "Postcard" in seven languages: Polish, German, English, French, Hungarian, Russian, and Ukrainian (the last two written in cyrillic script). In the lower left corner, the publishing address is provided: "S[alon] M[alarzy] P[olskich] Kraków" and the year of publication: "1910".
The Salon published patriotic, commemorative, and artistic postcards, including those with Jewish themes. It was founded by the Jewish entrepreneur Henryk Frist, and the publishing house was located on Floriańska Street (ul. Floriańska (https://komiksbaza.pl/p182/wydawnictwo-salonu-malarzy-polskich-w-krakowie, accessed on 10 March 2021).
The postcard was donated to the District Museum in Leszno by Zdzisław Moliński from Leszno in 1993. The donor received it as part of a package of 20 postcards from the early 20th century, all featuring reproductions of paintings with Jewish themes. The postcards were given to him by Zdzisław Sosnowski from Lasocice near Leszno, a house painter, collector, history enthusiast, and admirer of General Władysław Sikorski, with the intention of donating them to the newly established Judaica Department.
Dariusz Czwojdrak
