The Beckwith Company was a publishing entity in 1920, based in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

. It is remembered for publishing a second edition of the

forged Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. The blows are delivered with a hammer (often a power hammer) or a die. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which ...

Protocols of the Elders of Zion ''The Protocols of the Elders of Zion'' () or ''The Protocols of the Meetings of the Learned Elders of Zion'' is a fabricated antisemitic text purporting to describe a Jewish plan for global domination. The hoax was plagiarized from several ...

'', more specifically a second translation from the Russian language into the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to t ...

.Robert Singerman, "The American Career of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion", in: ''American Jewish History'', Vol. 71 (1981), pp. 48–78

The Beckwith edition of the ''Protocols of the Elders of Zion''

The meaning of the lead title is the expression, "

Praemonitus praemunitus This lists early editions of ''The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion'', an antisemitic forgery purporting to describe a Jewish conspiracy to achieve world domination. For recent editions, see Contemporary imprints of The Protocols of the ...

," a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

saying which means " forewarned is forearmed." The anonymous editor of this edition was

Harris A. Houghton Harris Ayres Houghton (February 25, 1874 - September 2, 1946) was a physician and member of the United States military intelligence community during and shortly after World War I. He is notable for having arranged the anonymous translation and p ...

. The translation was by his personal assistant Miss de Bogory and former Russian General

G. J. Sosnowsky G is the seventh letter of the Latin alphabet. G may also refer to: Places * Gabon, international license plate code G * Glasgow, UK postal code G * Eastern Quebec, Canadian postal prefix G * Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australi ...

. The pseudonym under which this imprint was published, "Peter Beckwith," is believed to be Harris A. Houghton, suggesting further that "The Beckwith Company" was merely a front for Houghton to get his new translation of ''The Protocols of the Elders of Zion'' published. This publishing entity was a front created specifically in order to provide a publishing company willing and able to publish and distribute the ''Protocols''. Support and/or financing for this publication came is believed to have come from the

American Defense Society The American Defense Society (ADS) was a nationalist American political group founded in 1915. The ADS was formed to advocate for American intervention in World War I against the German Empire. The group later stood in opposition to the Bolshevi ...

Other books published by Beckwith

There are fewer than half a dozen imprints associated with the "Beckwith" label in libraries. One title is particularly interesting, and for several reasons. It is the following: The author, Nesta H. Webster is a recognized

antisemite Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...

, and she herself was involved in the promotion of the

Protocols of Zion ''The Protocols of the Elders of Zion'' () or ''The Protocols of the Meetings of the Learned Elders of Zion'' is a fabricated antisemitic text purporting to describe a Jewish plan for global domination. The hoax was plagiarized from several ...

. There is another known work by this entity, namely, ''Sales Letters for Salesmen''. But publisher is located in

Dowagiac Dowagiac ( ) is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,879 at the 2010 census. It is part of the South Bend– Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Dowagiac is situated at the corner of four tow ...

, Mich. The publisher is styled "The Beckwith Company" and the copyright year is given as 1922. The author is given as Edward G. Weir.

References

Robert Singerman Robert Singerman (born 1942) is a librarian, and a recognized Judaica bibliographer. He is often cited by Judaica rare book dealers. He holds the position of University Librarian, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, where he w ...

:''The American Career of the "

"'' :''

American Jewish History ''American Jewish History'' is an academic journal and the official publication of the American Jewish Historical Society. The journal was established in 1892 and focuses on all aspects of the history of Jews in the United States. The journal ...

'' :Vol. 71 (1981), pp. 48-78 :''Antisemitic propaganda: an annotated bibliography and research guide'' :Foreword by Colin Holmes :(New York: Garland, 1982) *Edward G. Weir :Sales letters for salesmen :(Dowagiac, Mich.: The Beckwith Company, 1922)

External links

Jewish Virtual Library, ''The Protocols Come to America''
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beckwith Company, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion Book publishing companies based in New York (state)

The Beckwith edition of the ''Protocols of the Elders of Zion''

Other books published by Beckwith

See also

References

External links