Manuscript - Hazkarat Neshamot (Memorial Book) - Topolcany, 1920

Manuscript - Hazkarat Neshamot (Memorial Book) - Topolcany, 1920
Manuscript, Hazkarat Neshamot notebook - handwritten list of the dead of the community for synagogue prayer services. [Topolcany, ca. 1920].
Large format notebook. Calligraphic writing in Hebrew and Gothic German. The first two pages contain colorful decorated initials. The final page is set in a colorful border. Includes extra leaves that were placed between the original (bound) pages, and strips of paper with additional names (several glued in place and some left loose).
The Jewish and secular names, including last names, are written in Hebrew lettering, and in some places in German as well. Some names are underlined in red. The first names are of young men "who died a hero's death", apparently on the front lines during WWI. The beginning of the volume contains the "Mi Sheberach" prayer for those who give charity in memory of the dead, and the beginning of the "Kel Malei Rachamim" prayer in memory of the dead. The prayer is written until the section mentioning the names of the dead, after which the notebook lists their names. The remainder of the prayer is written on the last page of the notebook.
One of the added leaves lists the name of "our leader, R. Yitzchak ben Moshe Shmuel Schwieger". R. Schweiger, a student of the Ktav Sofer, was rabbi in Topolcany from 1880 until his passing in 1923. He was author of the Sefer Birkat Yitzchak (Galanta, 1924, Otzar Harabbanim 11057).
It seems that this notebook was used for Hazkarat Neshamot in one of the synagogues in Topolcany or its surroundings (Western Slovakia and Hungary).
[3] 5, [2] 6-25, [1] pages; [40] blank leaves, [1] page. 30 cm. + 2 detached leaves, 19 cm. and 2 paper strips, 1.5-2.5 cm. Unusually thick paper. Good condition. Small tears on several pages. One leaf (pp. 20-21) has a large tear through the text without missing text. Original leather binding; worn. Paper label on the binding with the words "Hazkarat Neshamot".