Moritz Lazarus

From H.S. Morais, Eminent Israelites of the Nineteenth Century

Prof. Dr. Moritz Lazarus was born at Filehne, in Posen, Prussian Poland, on the 15th of September, 1824. His father, Aaron Levin Lazarus, a distinguished Talmudist, and pupil of the celebrated Rabbi Akiba Eger, departed this life only a few years since, at an advanced age. His brother, L. Lazarus, Ph. D., also an eminent Rabbi and scholar, and Director of the Jewish Theological Seminary at Breslau, died in 1879.

Young Lazarus attended the congregational school in his native city, and received private instruction from his uncle, Abraham Waldenberg, (father of Prof. Waldenberg, of Berlin). With his father, he chiefly studied Rabbinical writings. When sixteen, he entered a mercantile house where he remained three years, and then returned to science, his favor ite pursuit.

From the gymnasium at Brunswick he passed to the University of Berlin, ending his col legiate course when twenty-two years old. No one could doubt but that the mind of Dr. Lazarus commanded a very wide range. But any possible misgiving was dispelled by works on ab stract topics, in which new ideas are evolved, and philosophical truths presented in a clear light. A passing allusion will be made to some of them. First, however, we shall speak of Lazarus as a Professor.

In 1860 a flattering admission of the Doctor's vast acquirements was made by his election to a pro fessorship at the University of Berne, Switzerland. The satisfaction given by an untiring devotion to duty, led to his appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, in 1863. One year later he was elevated to the rank of Rector of the University. Thus, in the lapse of four years he attained stations that could only be filled by the very ablest and most profound scholars. Nor did the honors he gathered terminate there. In 1867 Prof. Lazarus became Instructor in Philosophy, at the Royal Military Academy of Berlin. The climax was reached in 1873, by his being chosen Professor of Philosophy at the University of Berlin. The reader may judge of the qualifications of a man who, surrounded, as it were, by a constellation of shining lights, finds himself preferred to all others; for to occupy such a chair in such a college is, indeed, a recognition of preeminent talents.

Prof. Lazarus has displayed warm interest in Jewish matters. Twice he presided over important conferences; the Israelitish Synods held at Leipzig and Augsburg, in 1869 and 1871 respectively. He is one of the founders of the High School for the Science of Judaism, and since 1872 he has been President of its Directory. As head of the Society for assisting Jewish Students, he has shown an ardent desire for the spread of education among his fellow-believers; and as an Honorary Member of the Directory of the Union of German Hebrew Congregations, his in fluence has been sensibly felt. Other organizations reckon him among their directors.

• Moritz Lazarus (15 September 1824 - 13 April 1903) Wikipeid
• Eminent Israelites of the Nineteenth Century: A Series of Biographical Sketches, By Henry Samuel Morais. Page 192 - 195

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