Solomon Birnbaum
Encyclopedia
Solomon Birnbaum, also Salomo, Solomon A or Solomon Asher, (December 24, 1891, Vienna
– December 28, 1989, Toronto
) was a Yiddish linguist and Hebrew paleographer.
and Rosa Korngut. He served in World War I
in the Austro-Hungarian Army
, and then studied and attained a doctorate from the University of Würzburg
. From 1922 to 1933, he filled the first worldwide Yiddish Chair at the University of Hamburg
. After the rise of the National Socialist German Workers Party
(Nazis) in Germany, Birnbaum escaped with his wife, Irene Gruenwald and his children to Great Britain
.
From 1936 to 1957, Birnbaum was a lecturer on Hebrew paleography and epigraphy
at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London
. Starting in 1938, he taught Yiddish at the same time at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies of the University of London. During World War II
, Birmbaum worked in the postal censorship for the British authorities. In 1970, Birnbaum immigrated to Toronto
(Canada
).
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...
– December 28, 1989, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) was a Yiddish linguist and Hebrew paleographer.
Career
Birnbaum was the oldest son of Nathan BirnbaumNathan Birnbaum
----Nathan Birnbaum was an Austrian writer and journalist, Jewish thinker and nationalist. His life had three main phases, representing a progression in his thinking: Zionist phase ; Jewish cultural autonomy phase which included the promotion of the Yiddish language; and religious phase...
and Rosa Korngut. He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
, and then studied and attained a doctorate from the University of Würzburg
University of Würzburg
The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...
. From 1922 to 1933, he filled the first worldwide Yiddish Chair at the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
. After the rise of the National Socialist German Workers Party
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
(Nazis) in Germany, Birnbaum escaped with his wife, Irene Gruenwald and his children to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
From 1936 to 1957, Birnbaum was a lecturer on Hebrew paleography and epigraphy
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Starting in 1938, he taught Yiddish at the same time at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies of the University of London. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Birmbaum worked in the postal censorship for the British authorities. In 1970, Birnbaum immigrated to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
(Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
).
Publications
- Praktische Grammatik der jiddischen Sprache; Vienna and Leipzig, 1918; in: Grammatik der jiddischen Sprache, Hamburg 1966, 1979, 1984.
- Leben und Worte des Balschemm; 1920
- Das hebräische und aramäische Element in der jiddischen Sprache; 1921 (Dissertation)
- Die jiddische Sprache; in: Germanisch-Romanische Monatsschrift (1923)
- Die Umschrift des Jiddischen; in: Teuthonista (1933)
- the Age of the Yiddish Language; in: Transactions of the Philological Society, London 1939
- Jewish Languages; in: Essays in Honour of the Very Rev. Dr. J.H. Hertz, London 1944 (1942)
- Yiddish Phrase Book; hg. v. The Linguaphone Institute for The Jewish Committee for Relief Abroad, London 1945
- The Cultural Structure of East Ashkenazic Jewry; in: The Slavonic and East European ReviewThe Slavonic and East European ReviewThe Slavonic and East European Review , the journal of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College London, is an international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary academic journal in the fields of social sciences and humanities founded in...
, London 1946 - The Verb in the Bukharic Language of Samarkand; in: Archivum Linguisticum 2 (1950/51)
- How old are the Cave Manuscripts?, in: Vetus TestamentumVetus TestamentumVetus Testamentum is an academic journal covering various aspects of the Old Testament....
(1951) - The Hebrew Scripts; 2 Bde., Leiden 1954–57, 1971
- Die jiddische Sprache; Hamburg 1974, 1986, 1997
- Yiddish – A Survey and a Grammar, Toronto 1979
- Zur Geschichte der u-Laute im Jiddischen; in: Zeitschrift für Deutsche Philologie (1981)