NEISSER, HANS PHILIPP

NEISSER, HANS PHILIPP (1895–1975), economist. Born into a distinguished professional family in Breslau, Germany, Neisser obtained a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Breslau. He served on various government economic commissions, was economic adviser to the Weimar government, and edited one of Germany's leading economic weekly magazines, Wirtschaft (1922 to 1927). In 1927 he began to teach at the University of Kiel and was at the same time director of the Institute for World Economy. Emigrating to the U.S. in 1933, he was professor of monetary theory at the University of Pennsylvania from 1933 to 1943, the first Jew to attain a position at that university. During the last two years of this period he headed the division of research at the U.S. Office of Price Administration in Washington. He was also research principal at the Institute of World Affairs (1943–51). From 1943 to 1965 he was professor of economics in the graduate faculty of the New School for Social Research in New York City, where he also served in a leadership capacity, including tenure as chairman of the department of economics, until his retirement. He then became professor emeritus (1965–75). Under his guidance, the New School became the first teaching institution in the metropolitan area to establish a training center for econometric study. Described as one of the most brilliant economic minds of his generation, Neisser focused mainly on general economic theory, international economics, and monetary and banking developments.

His publications include Der Tauschwert des Geldes (1928); Some International Aspects of the Business Cycle (1936); National Incomes and International Trade (with F. Modigliani, 1953); and On the Sociology of Knowledge, an Essay (1965).

[Joachim O. Ronall /

Ruth Beloff (2^nd ed.)]