Felix Weltsch
Encyclopedia
Felix Weltsch Dr. jur et phil., was a German
-speaking Jewish librarian, philosopher, author, editor, publisher and journalist. A close friend of Max Brod
and Franz Kafka
, he was one of the most important Zionists
in Bohemia
.
(then in Austria-Hungary
), Weltsch studied Law and Philosophy at the Charles University
. He lived and worked in Prague until 15 March 1939, and left the city with Max Brod
and his family on the last train out of Czechoslovakia
. In Palestine
, he worked as a librarian in Jerusalem until his death in 1964.
He had one daughter, Ruth Weltsch (1920–1991), with his wife Irma Herz (1892–1969). They married in August 1914. The publisher, journalist and important Zionist Robert Weltsch
was Felix Weltsch's cousin. He published the Jewish paper Juedische Rundschau in Berlin
, in which he criticized Adolf Hitler
's anti-Semitic politics, for instance with the article "Tragt ihn mit Stolz, den gelben Fleck!" (Carry the yellow badge with pride!)- weekly Jued. Rundschau, April 4, 1933.
in 1952. His most important work was the Jewish-Zionist weekly paper Selbstwehr (self-defense), which he led from 1919 until 1938. With this work and hundreds of articles he became one of the most important personalities in Jewish life next to Martin Buber
, Chaim Weizmann
and Hugo Bergmann
, his early school friend.
Weltsch wrote remarkable essays on philosophers like Henri Bergson
and Christian von Ehrenfels
, who was the most influential teacher for Weltsch. This was in so far unusual, as most of Weltsch's colleagues and student friends were more following the ideas of Franz Brentano
. But people like Bergman and Martin Buber
called him a self-thinking, independent philosopher. His influence and help to many others was great, but his role as a cultural consultant is not known to many also due to his shyness. The friendship to Kafka lasted 20 years, and the friendship to Max Brod
lasted 75 years from the Piarist school in Prague to Weltschs death in 1964.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
-speaking Jewish librarian, philosopher, author, editor, publisher and journalist. A close friend of Max Brod
Max Brod
Max Brod was a German-speaking Czech Jewish, later Israeli, author, composer, and journalist. Although he was a prolific writer in his own right, he is most famous as the friend and biographer of Franz Kafka...
and Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
, he was one of the most important Zionists
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
.
Life
Born in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
(then in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
), Weltsch studied Law and Philosophy at the Charles University
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
. He lived and worked in Prague until 15 March 1939, and left the city with Max Brod
Max Brod
Max Brod was a German-speaking Czech Jewish, later Israeli, author, composer, and journalist. Although he was a prolific writer in his own right, he is most famous as the friend and biographer of Franz Kafka...
and his family on the last train out of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. In Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, he worked as a librarian in Jerusalem until his death in 1964.
He had one daughter, Ruth Weltsch (1920–1991), with his wife Irma Herz (1892–1969). They married in August 1914. The publisher, journalist and important Zionist Robert Weltsch
Robert Weltsch
Robert Weltsch was a journalist, editor and prominent Zionist.He was editor of the Jüdische Rundschau , a newspaper published twice a week in Berlin, Germany during the years the Nazis were gaining influence. The newspaper had a peak readership of 37,000...
was Felix Weltsch's cousin. He published the Jewish paper Juedische Rundschau in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, in which he criticized Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's anti-Semitic politics, for instance with the article "Tragt ihn mit Stolz, den gelben Fleck!" (Carry the yellow badge with pride!)- weekly Jued. Rundschau, April 4, 1933.
Influence
Weltsch's works around deal with the subjects of Ethics, Politics and Philosophy. For his ethical and political publications Weltsch received the Ruppin- Prize from the city of HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
in 1952. His most important work was the Jewish-Zionist weekly paper Selbstwehr (self-defense), which he led from 1919 until 1938. With this work and hundreds of articles he became one of the most important personalities in Jewish life next to Martin Buber
Martin Buber
Martin Buber was an Austrian-born Jewish philosopher best known for his philosophy of dialogue, a form of religious existentialism centered on the distinction between the I-Thou relationship and the I-It relationship....
, Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
and Hugo Bergmann
Hugo Bergmann
Samuel Hugo Bergman, or Samuel Bergman was a German and Israeli Jewish philosopher.-Biography:...
, his early school friend.
Weltsch wrote remarkable essays on philosophers like Henri Bergson
Henri Bergson
Henri-Louis Bergson was a major French philosopher, influential especially in the first half of the 20th century. Bergson convinced many thinkers that immediate experience and intuition are more significant than rationalism and science for understanding reality.He was awarded the 1927 Nobel Prize...
and Christian von Ehrenfels
Christian von Ehrenfels
Christian von Ehrenfels was an Austrian philosopher, and is known as one of the founders and precursors of Gestalt psychology.- Life :...
, who was the most influential teacher for Weltsch. This was in so far unusual, as most of Weltsch's colleagues and student friends were more following the ideas of Franz Brentano
Franz Brentano
Franz Clemens Honoratus Hermann Brentano was an influential German philosopher and psychologist whose influence was felt by other such luminaries as Sigmund Freud, Edmund Husserl, Kazimierz Twardowski and Alexius Meinong, who followed and adapted his views.-Life:Brentano was born at Marienberg am...
. But people like Bergman and Martin Buber
Martin Buber
Martin Buber was an Austrian-born Jewish philosopher best known for his philosophy of dialogue, a form of religious existentialism centered on the distinction between the I-Thou relationship and the I-It relationship....
called him a self-thinking, independent philosopher. His influence and help to many others was great, but his role as a cultural consultant is not known to many also due to his shyness. The friendship to Kafka lasted 20 years, and the friendship to Max Brod
Max Brod
Max Brod was a German-speaking Czech Jewish, later Israeli, author, composer, and journalist. Although he was a prolific writer in his own right, he is most famous as the friend and biographer of Franz Kafka...
lasted 75 years from the Piarist school in Prague to Weltschs death in 1964.
Works
- Anschauung und Begriff, 1913 (Co-author, Max Brod)
- Organische Demokratie, 1918
- Gnade und Freiheit. Untersuchungen zum Problem des schöpferischen Willens in Religion und Ethik, Munich 1920
- Nationalismus und Judentum, Berlin 1920
- Zionismus als Weltanschauung, Jerusalem 1925 (Co-author, Max Brod)
- Judenfrage und Zionismus, 1929
- Antisemitismus als Völkerhysterie, 1931
- Thesen des Nationalhumanismus, 1934
- Das Rätsel des Lachens, 1935
- Das Wagnis der Mitte, 1937
- Die Dialektik des Leidens (Ha-Di’alektikah shel ha-Sevel), 1944
- Natur, Moral und Politik (Teva, Musar u-Mediniyyut), 1950
- Religion und Humor im Leben und Werk Franz Kafkas, 1957
Literature
- Carsten Schmidt: Kafkas fast unbekannter Freund. (= Kafka's nearly unknown friend). Biography on Felix Weltsch. Publisher: Koenigshausen & Neumann, Germany 2010, ISBN 978-3-8260-4274-4.