Saalschuetz, Joseph Lewin
SAALSCHUETZ, JOSEPH LEWIN
SAALSCHUETZ, JOSEPH LEWIN (1801–1863), German rabbi and archaeologist. Saalschuetz was born at Koenigsberg, where he served the Jewish community as preacher and teacher from 1835. In 1847 he was admitted to Koenigsberg University as lecturer in Hebrew archaeology, although he was denied a professorship, despite his undoubted capabilities, because of his Jewishness.
Among Saalschuetz's published works are Von der Form der hebraeischen Poesie (1825); Archaeologie der Hebraeer (2pts., 1855/56), a pioneering work describing the dress, science, customs, and government of the Jews, which includes the earlier Geschichte und Wuerdigung der Musik bei den Hebraeern (1829); and, of special importance, Das mosaische Recht, mir Beruecksichtigung des spaeteren juedischen (2 pts., 1846–48), Das mosaische Recht, nebst den vervollstaendigenden thalmudisch-rabbinischen Bestimmungen (18532). This work, dealing in its first part with public laws, and the second with private (civil) law, has retained its value as a source book for the study of Jewish law. Saalschuetz was among the contributors to the early volumes of the Monatsschrift.
His son, louis saalschuetz (1835–1913), was a noted mathematician, who taught at Koenigsberg University.
bibliography:
adb, 30 (1890), 103–6.
[Max Wurmbrand]