Moses Mendelssohn: A Biographical Study

by Alexander Altmann

Alexander Altmann's acclaimed, wide-ranging biography of Moses Mendelssohn (1729-96) was first published in 1973, but its stature as the definitive biography remains unquestioned. In fact, there has been no subsequent attempt at an intellectual biography of this towering and unusual no other Jew so deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition was at the same time so much a part of the intellectual life of the German Enlightenment in the second half of the eighteenth century. As such, Moses Mendelssohn came to be recognized as the inaugurator of a new phase in Jewish history; all modern Jews today are in his debt. Altmann presents Moses Mendelssohn in strictly biographical terms. He does not attempt to assess his significance with the hindsight of historical perspective nor to trace his image in subsequent generations, but rather to observe his life from the period within which it was set. Altmann has written an absorbing and compelling narrative that makes a whole epoch come
alive with great drama, for Mendelssohn's life was a kaleidoscope of the European intellectual scene, Jewish and non-Jewish.

As both a prominent philosopher and a believing Jew, Mendelssohn became a spokesman for the Jews and Judaism; he was one of the rare figures who become the symbol of an era. Through Altmann's skilful use of hitherto unpublished archival material, the reader is introduced to the vast array of people-men of letters, artists, politicians, scientists, philosophers, and theologians-with whom Mendelssohn was in contact, and sometimes in conflict. What was Mendelssohn's Judaism like? To what extent did the disparate worlds of Judaism and modern Enlightenment jostle each other in his mind and to what degree could he harmonize them? These questions are not easily answered, and it is only in the aggregate of a multitude of accounts of experiences, reaction, and statements on his part that the answer is to be found. Alexander Altmann's analysis of this wealth of material is extraordinary in its discernment, subtlety, and clarity of expression.

This masterly work will be of interest not only to those who are concerned with Jewish intellectual history but also to those interested in eighteenth-century cultural and social history, philosophy and theology, literary criticism, aesthetics, and the other areas of intellectual activity in ferment at that time. The general reader will also find much of contemporary relevance in Mendelssohn's life, not only because of his exemplary devotion to reason and tolerance, but also because of his lifelong struggle with the basic dilemma of the Jew in the modern the attraction of assimilation versus the singularity of Jewish life, and the preservation of Jewish identity versus integration in the wider society.

Genres: Judaism, Jewish

924 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really ought to throw a party (siyum, in Orthodox tradition) to celebrate my completing (sort of, if a lot of skimming counts) this hefty tome. Instead, I was inspired to create a new goodreads shelf -- named for the immortal Homer Simpson quote -- "Lord help me, I'm just not that bright." I was amazed, as I perused my shelves, at how many of my books this category actually applies to.

This is an incredibly detailed, 759-page, academic biography of Moses Mendelssohn. If you're a philosophy person, there's a lot of material here for you. A whole lot. As for me, well, I used to think I liked philosophy. I used to think I was a philosophical sort of person. I'm now reconsidering that view.

I think part of the problem for me is that my curiosity about Moses Mendelssohn, though deep, is also admittedly narrow. I'm fascinated by Moses as a deeply traditional Jew who also managed to succeed in the secular realm at a time when this was almost unheard of for Jews, particularly traditional ones. I was mainly interested in his personal and family life (though he was deeply Orthodox, most of his children left Judaism: thoughts?), his struggles and conflicts as he integrated his religious and secular sides, and his interactions with the Jewish community, particularly rabbinical authorities who were ambivalent about his activities. What I got in his book was a long exploration of his philosophical writings and copious details about his friendships and correspondence with Christian intellectuals. Even the parts that offered me glimpses of what I was looking for were either brief or so detailed that my eyes eventually glazed over.

I had a similar problem when I read Nadler's biography of Spinoza too, and I can speculate about possible explanations. Maybe there's just not enough information available about these individuals as human beings, and book-length biographies can only focus on their writings and correspondence because that's material we actually have. Maybe if I were more intellectual or academic this would actually be what interests me, as opposed to my wish for the People Magazine versions of Spinoza and Mendelssohn. Oh, well.

So why five stars, then? Well, I'm kind of embarrassed to give a book like this less than five stars simply because my intellectual limitations inhibit my appreciation for it (which explains a lot of five star books on my lord-help-me shelf). I mean, 759 pages! Lots and lots of detail! Lots and lots of quoted correspondence to back up every point! Every. Freakin'. Little. Point. This was clearly a major academic effort, well-researched, and seems to be The Book on Moses Mendelssohn.

According to my husband, a one-time historian, Shmuel Feiner's biography of Moses Mendelssohn is a more accessible choice. Since it's written in Hebrew, though, I didn't bother trying to track it down here. I heard there may be a translation coming out, though, so if you're curious about Mendelssohn but not motivated to tackle Altmann's book (and I wouldn't blame you), you might want to give that one a try.

[Natalie Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amid the excitement surrounding the bio-pic of German-born Manchester City FC goalkeeper Bert Trautmann one Jewish figure emerges as the real hero.
It is clear that the small but hugely significant role played by Rabbi Dr Alexander Altmann was not only pivotal in the former prisoner of war being accepted by local fans but that his intercession was typical of his extraordinarily broadminded and generous nature.
Like Trautmann, Rabbi Dr Altmann settled in England from Germany. But the similarity ends there.
Trautmann had joined the original Nazi Youth organisation and enlisted in the Luftwaffe early in World War 11 before being captured and sent to a Prisoner of War camp at Ashton-in-Makerfield near Manchester.
Rabbi Dr Altmann, an Austro-Hungarian-born Berlin resident, had meanwhile fled the Nazis despite having established a fine career there and settled in Manchester in 1938 where he served as the greatly esteemed ‘Communal Rabbi’ until 1959.
He and his wife, Judith then re-emigrated to the United States where he became yet more renowned, especially in his specialist disciplines of medieval Jewish philosophy and mysticism.
It is quite extraordinary that Rabbi Altmann should have openly approved of Trautmann’s appointment as goalkeeper to the local club, not only in the face of so much overt hostility from fellow Jews but because the Nazis had murdered many of his own family.
Indeed, in his celebrated open letter published by the Manchester Evening Chronicle supporting Trautmann and opposing a proposed boycott, he wrote:
“Each member of the Jewish community is entitled to his own opinion, but there is no concerted action inside the community in favour of this proposal. Despite the terrible cruelties we suffered at the Germans, [sic] we would not try to punish an individual German, who is unconnected with these crimes, out of hatred. If this footballer is a decent fellow. I would say there is no harm in it. Each case must be judged on its own merits”.
But it seems that no-one acquainted with Rabbi Dr Altmann would have been surprised by his magnanimous gesture as his attitude towards secular matters was a reflection of his approach to scholarship. So I close here with words from a tribute made to him on his passing by his friend and colleague Rabbi Dr Isadore Twersky who wrote that he "shunned parochialism and arid compartmentalisation".

[Orla · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very thorough book but maybe a little too much detail in places.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating biography of one of the most important influences on the history of Judaism.