SCHWAB, HERMANN

SCHWAB, HERMANN (1879–1962), German journalist and historical writer. In his native Frankfurt Schwab joined the school of the Israelitische Religionsgesellschaft (see S.R.*Hirsch). He was employed from 1902 to 1927 in the metal enterprises of Aron Hirsch near Berlin and in Halberstadt. He also worked as a journalist for the Frankfurter Zeitung, the Vossische Zeitung and other newspapers, was editor of the Juedischer Volksschriftenverlag, and author of Orthodox children's books. A supporter of *Agudat Israel and its founder, Jacob *Rosenheim, Schwab organized its war orphans' fund during World War i, which established a number of orphanages in Poland. From 1927 he ran a press service in Berlin which he continued after emigrating to England in 1934. In London, he became president of the Golders Green Beth Hamidrash.

His main published works are: Kindertraeume: Ein Maerchenbuch fuer juedische Kinder (1911; Dreams of Childhood, 1945); Orthodoxie und Zionismus… (1919); Aus der Schuetzenstrasse (1923; Memories of Frankfurt, 1955); A World in Ruins: History, Life and Work of German Jewry (1946); The History of Orthodox Jewry in Germany (1950); 1933: Ein Tagebuch (1953); Jewish Rural Communities in Germany (1956); and Chachme Ashkenaz (Eng., 1964).

bibliography:

E.S. Schwab (ed.), Hermann Schwab (1963); A. Carlebach, "Hermann Schwab," in: lbi Yearbook (1962); P. Arnsberg, Die Geschichte der Frankfurter Juden… (1983), vol. 3, 477–79.

[Archiv Bibliographia Judaica]