(1794-1886)
German historian. He was born in Detmold. He helped found the Verein fur Kultur and Wissenschaft der Juden in Berlin in 1819, and his work is regarded as having laid the foundations for the scientific study of Jewish history (Wissenschaft des Judentums). From 1840 to 1850 he served as principal of the Berlin Teachers' Seminary. His early writings include a biography of Rashi, a history of Jewish homiletics, and a survey of Jewish names from biblical times. Among his later publications are a history of Jewish geographical literature, a history of Jewish liturgy, studies of medieval piyyutim and their authors and Bible studies. He also edited the works of Nahman Krochmal.
Dictionary of Jewish Biography. Dan Cohn-Sherbok.