Lewin Berwin

                                                               Lewin or Levin Berwin (1805?-1850?)

Lewin is briefly mentioned in the death certification of one of his son’s. Dr. Moritz Berwin, in Berlin in 1914.

Lewin was mentioned in data from the Niesser family that indicated that he was the father of Adolph Berwin of the Vatican Music Library.

He is not mentioned in the residence card of his widow Roeschen Berwin in Swarzedz, Prussia, Poland.

The mention in the death certification is that Roeschen was the widow of “The Memorial Estate Owner Lewin Berwin”.

Much may be made of this statement. Manorial Estates were the leftovers of the King and Manor era that was common throughout Europe and England. Many properties and manor homes fell into other more people’s hands or were abandoned and fell into ruin when that system of serfs and kings and princes declined.

It also indicates that an Owner was a fairly wealthy and respectable person. In fact of Lewin’s sons one was a music teacher(Adolph) and one was a lawyer with a Doctorate in Law (Moritz). One does not study music or law if you are a starving peasant.

Lewin is listed in an important reference book compiled by Luft listing the Jews of 1834 or 1835 who were made citizens of Posen. Listing:Lewi Berwin Schwersenz Handelsmann (Schwerin)

Very few Jews were made citizens.

Lewin was probably born in Swarzedz and may have died there. His dates are unknown at this time.

Lewin was married to Roeschen Wiener. The Wiener family was very well known in the Jewish community in Poland and Prussia. They were Rabbi’s and scholars and connected with other Jewish intellectuals such as the Spira family.

Lewin Berwin is mentioned in this book :Alphabetarische Liste der Förderer der israelitischen Literatur ..., Volume 6 By Institut zur Förderung der Israelitischen Literatur (Leipzig) . See page 25 for the town of Schwersenz. Here is a link to the online searchable copy.

http://books.google.com/books?id=4rNUAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA14&source=gbs_se...

This compilation is of people that presumably donated money to publish another book of Jewish Literature.

Data provided by Janet Rovenpor from the Center for Jewish History in New York City, NY in 2014.

Dan Berwin Brockman December 19, 2014.