Adolf Jellinek
Encyclopedia
----
Adolf Jellinek was an Austria
n rabbi
and scholar. After filling clerical posts in Leipzig
(1845–1856), he became a preacher
at the Leopoldstädter Tempel
in Vienna
in 1856.
He was associated with the promoters of the New Learning within Judaism
, and wrote on the history of the Kabbalah
. His bibliographies (each bearing the Hebrew
title Qontres) were useful compilations, but his most important work lay in three other directions:
His wife was Rosalie Bettelheim (b. 1832 in Budapest
, d. 1892 in Baden bei Wien
). His eldest son, Georg Jellinek
, was appointed professor of international law at Heidelberg
in 1891. Another son, Max Hermann Jellinek (1868–1938), was made assistant professor of German philology at Vienna University in 1892, became an associate professor in 1900 and was a full professor from 1906 till 1934, and from 1919 also a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. A third son, Emil Jellinek
(1853–1918), was a wealthy businessman on the French Riviera, and later on the Austrian consul in Monaco, who used his daughter's name Mercedes as a pseudonym when practising his racing hobby. His business association with Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
became so intense that the new model he ordered was named the Mercedes
car, and in 1903 Emil Jellinek himself was permitted to change his name to Jellinek-Mercedes - "probably the first time ever that a father bears the name of his daughter", was his comment.
A brother of Adolf, Hermann Jellinek (born 1823), was executed at the age of 26 on account of his association with the Hungarian national movement of 1848
. One of Hermann Jellinek's best-known works was Uriel Acosta. Another brother, Moritz Jellinek (1823–1883), was an accomplished economist, and contributed to the Academy of Sciences essays on the price of cereals and on the statistical organization of the country. He founded the Budapest
tramway company (1864) and was also president of the corn exchange.
See Jewish Encyclopedia
, vii.92-94. For a character sketch of Adolf Jellinek see S. Singer, Lectures and Addresses (1908), pp. 88–93; Kohut, Beruehmte israelitische Manner und Frauen.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and scholar. After filling clerical posts in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
(1845–1856), he became a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
at the Leopoldstädter Tempel
Leopoldstädter Tempel
The Leopoldstädter Tempel was the largest synagogue of Vienna, in the district of Leopoldstadt. It was also known as the Israelitische Bethaus in der Wiener Vorstadt Leopoldstadt. It was built in 1858 in a Moorish Revival style by the architect Ludwig Förster...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1856.
He was associated with the promoters of the New Learning within Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, and wrote on the history of the Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
. His bibliographies (each bearing the Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
title Qontres) were useful compilations, but his most important work lay in three other directions:
- MidrashMidrashThe Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
ic. Jellinek published in the six parts of his Beth ha-Midrasch (1853–1878) a large number of smaller Midrashim, ancient and medieval homilies and folkloreFolkloreFolklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
records, which have been of much service in the revival of interest in Jewish apocalyptic literatureApocalyptic literatureApocalyptic literature is a genre of prophetical writing that developed in post-Exilic Jewish culture and was popular among millennialist early Christians....
. A translation of these collections of Jellinek into German was undertaken by August Wuensche, under the general title Aus Israels Lehrhalle. - Psychological. Before the study of ethnic psychology had become a science, Jellinek devoted attention to the subject. There is much keen analysis and original investigation in his two essays Der jüdische Stamm (1869) and Der jüdische Stamm in nicht-jüdischen Sprichwörtern (1881–1882). It is to Jellinek that we owe the oft-repeated comparison of the Jewish temperament to that of women in its quickness of perception, versatility and sensibility.
- Homiletic. Jellinek was probably the greatest synagogueSynagogueA synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
orator of the 19th century. He published some 200 sermons, in most of which are displayed unobtrusive learning, fresh application of old sayings, and a high conception of Judaism and its claims. Jellinek was a powerful apologist and an accomplished homilist, at once profound and ingenious.
His wife was Rosalie Bettelheim (b. 1832 in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, d. 1892 in Baden bei Wien
Baden bei Wien
-Points of interest:The town offers several parks and a picturesque surrounding, of which the most frequented is the Helenental valley. Not far from Baden, the valley is crossed by a widespread aqueduct of the Vienna waterworks...
). His eldest son, Georg Jellinek
Georg Jellinek
Georg Jellinek was an Austrian public lawyer. Along with Hans Kelsen and the Hungarian Felix Somlo he belonged to the group of Austrian Legal Positivists and was considered to be "the exponent of public law in Austria“.-Early life:From 1867, Jellinek studied law, history of art and philosophy at...
, was appointed professor of international law at Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
in 1891. Another son, Max Hermann Jellinek (1868–1938), was made assistant professor of German philology at Vienna University in 1892, became an associate professor in 1900 and was a full professor from 1906 till 1934, and from 1919 also a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. A third son, Emil Jellinek
Emil Jellinek
Emil Jellinek, known after 1903 as Emil Jellinek-Mercedes was a wealthy European entrepreneur who sat on the board of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft between 1900 and 1909. He specified an engine designed there by Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler for the first 'modern' car...
(1853–1918), was a wealthy businessman on the French Riviera, and later on the Austrian consul in Monaco, who used his daughter's name Mercedes as a pseudonym when practising his racing hobby. His business association with Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was a German engine and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, it was based first in Cannstatt...
became so intense that the new model he ordered was named the Mercedes
Mercedes (car)
Mercedes was a brand of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft . DMG which began to develop in 1900, after the death of its co-founder, Gottlieb Daimler...
car, and in 1903 Emil Jellinek himself was permitted to change his name to Jellinek-Mercedes - "probably the first time ever that a father bears the name of his daughter", was his comment.
A brother of Adolf, Hermann Jellinek (born 1823), was executed at the age of 26 on account of his association with the Hungarian national movement of 1848
Revolutions of 1848
The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations, Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe in 1848. It was the first Europe-wide collapse of traditional authority, but within a year reactionary...
. One of Hermann Jellinek's best-known works was Uriel Acosta. Another brother, Moritz Jellinek (1823–1883), was an accomplished economist, and contributed to the Academy of Sciences essays on the price of cereals and on the statistical organization of the country. He founded the Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
tramway company (1864) and was also president of the corn exchange.
See Jewish Encyclopedia
Jewish Encyclopedia
The Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
, vii.92-94. For a character sketch of Adolf Jellinek see S. Singer, Lectures and Addresses (1908), pp. 88–93; Kohut, Beruehmte israelitische Manner und Frauen.