Leo Baeck(1873-1956)
Baeck had four sisters with whom he spent his childhood and youth in his hometown. There he attended the Johann-Amos-Comenius-Gymnasium from 1881 to 1890. He came into close contact with Jewish culture and religion at a young age. After his schooling, Baeck moved to the Jewish Theological Seminary in Breslau, today's Polish Wroclaw. There he trained as a rabbi from 1891 to 1894. During this time he also enrolled at the University of Breslau in the Faculty of Philosophy for two years. In 1994 Baeck left Breslau and moved to Berlin. There he studied philosophy, history and religious philosophy. In the same year he attended the Institute for the Study of Judaism. Baeck received his doctorate in 1895 with the well-known philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey with a thesis on "Spinoza's first influence on Germany". He later published his dissertation. In the same year he moved to what is now Opole, Poland, to serve as a rabbi in the community for ten years.
In 1896 Baeck married Nathalie Hamburger. After they settled in Duisburg in 1905, his work on religious philosophy appeared under the title "The Essence of Judaism"; In it he refers to Adolf von Harnack and his work "The Essence of Christianity". Baeck presented himself as a committed supporter of Jewish liberalism. In 1912 Baeck left Duisburg and moved to Berlin. There he worked in the synagogue on Fasanenstrasse. He also held a teaching position as a lecturer at the University for the Study of Judaism. During the First World War he worked as a field rabbi on the Western and Eastern Fronts from 1914 to 1918. Baeck then worked as a representative of the Jewish community in Berlin, maintaining important connections with leading politicians. He founded the Christian-Jewish Conversations and worked as a speaker on Jewish-Christian cooperation on religious and cultural issues. In this role, Baeck played an important mediating role.
In 1919 he was responsible for Jewish issues in the Prussian Ministry of Culture. As chairman of the General German Rabbinical Association, he successfully mediated between the orthodox and liberal wings of the association. In 1924 he became president of the Jewish welfare order "Bnei Brith Lodge". Baeck joined the "Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith", the Palestine Fund "Keren Hajessod", the "Central Welfare Office of German Jews" and the "Jewish Agency". In 1933, the year the National Socialists came to power, Baeck became president of the "Reich Representation of German Jews". Baeck remained as a high representative of Judaism in National Socialist Germany in order to effectively support Jews there against Nazi terror. In 1938 he became chairman of the "Reich Representation of the Jews", which had been decreed by the National Socialists. This was closed by the Gestapo in 1943.
In the same year he and his family were deported to the Theresienstadt camp. Baeck survived the Nazi terror and moved to London in 1945. There he headed the "Council of Jews from Germany" and the "World Union for Progressive Judaism". In 1947 he founded the "Institute for Research into the History of Judaism in Germany since the Enlightenment," which was renamed the Leo Baeck Institute in 1954. Baeck made a name for himself as a reconciler between Jews and Christians. As part of this task, he revived Christian-Jewish discussions. For him, this understanding between groups took priority over condemning those guilty of genocide. From 1948 to 1956 he taught at European and American universities.
Leo Baeck died on November 2, 1956 in London.
In 1896 Baeck married Nathalie Hamburger. After they settled in Duisburg in 1905, his work on religious philosophy appeared under the title "The Essence of Judaism"; In it he refers to Adolf von Harnack and his work "The Essence of Christianity". Baeck presented himself as a committed supporter of Jewish liberalism. In 1912 Baeck left Duisburg and moved to Berlin. There he worked in the synagogue on Fasanenstrasse. He also held a teaching position as a lecturer at the University for the Study of Judaism. During the First World War he worked as a field rabbi on the Western and Eastern Fronts from 1914 to 1918. Baeck then worked as a representative of the Jewish community in Berlin, maintaining important connections with leading politicians. He founded the Christian-Jewish Conversations and worked as a speaker on Jewish-Christian cooperation on religious and cultural issues. In this role, Baeck played an important mediating role.
In 1919 he was responsible for Jewish issues in the Prussian Ministry of Culture. As chairman of the General German Rabbinical Association, he successfully mediated between the orthodox and liberal wings of the association. In 1924 he became president of the Jewish welfare order "Bnei Brith Lodge". Baeck joined the "Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith", the Palestine Fund "Keren Hajessod", the "Central Welfare Office of German Jews" and the "Jewish Agency". In 1933, the year the National Socialists came to power, Baeck became president of the "Reich Representation of German Jews". Baeck remained as a high representative of Judaism in National Socialist Germany in order to effectively support Jews there against Nazi terror. In 1938 he became chairman of the "Reich Representation of the Jews", which had been decreed by the National Socialists. This was closed by the Gestapo in 1943.
In the same year he and his family were deported to the Theresienstadt camp. Baeck survived the Nazi terror and moved to London in 1945. There he headed the "Council of Jews from Germany" and the "World Union for Progressive Judaism". In 1947 he founded the "Institute for Research into the History of Judaism in Germany since the Enlightenment," which was renamed the Leo Baeck Institute in 1954. Baeck made a name for himself as a reconciler between Jews and Christians. As part of this task, he revived Christian-Jewish discussions. For him, this understanding between groups took priority over condemning those guilty of genocide. From 1948 to 1956 he taught at European and American universities.
Leo Baeck died on November 2, 1956 in London.