Herman Rosenthal
Encyclopedia
Herman Rosenthal was an American
author, editor, and librarian.
, Courland
. He was educated at Bauske (Bauska)
and Jakobstadt (Jēkabpils)
, graduating in 1859. In that year he translated into German
several of Nekrasov
's poems. In 1869 he engaged in the printing trade at Krementchug
, and in 1870 he published a collection of poems, Gedichte. In the Russo-Turkish war he served in the Russian Red Cross Society and received the society's medal for distinguished service (1877–78). Returning to his craft as master-printer, he pursued it in Smyela, government of Kiev, and in the city of Kiev
until 1881. He produced a humorous story, "Die Wunderliche Kur," in 1872, and later assisted in the founding of Zarya (Dawn), a daily paper, the first number of which appeared at Kiev in 1878. At this time Rosenthal was elected corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Society for the Promotion of Culture Among the Russian Jews.
Interested in the condition of his oppressed coreligionists, Rosenthal sailed for the United States in 1881 for the purpose of founding there agricultural colonies to be settled by Russian Jewish immigrants. During 1881-82 he succeeded in establishing colonies in Louisiana
and South Dakota
. He also took a prominent part in the administration of the Woodbine, New Jersey
, colony in 1891. During 1887 and 1888 Rosenthal engaged in the book-trade, but gave up this occupation on being appointed chief statistician of the Edison General Electric Company
, a post he held for three years. In 1892 he went to the Far East, whither he was sent by the Great Northern Railway to investigate the economic conditions and trade of China
, Korea
, and Japan
, on which he published a report (St. Paul, 1893). On his return he was elected secretary of the German-American Reform Union, New York City
, and a member of the press bureau of the Committee of Seventy
, which was instrumental in the overthrown of the notorious Tweed Ring. In 1894 he was appointed chief of the discharging department of the Immigration Bureau, Ellis Island
, New York, an office he occupied two years. In 1897, he became a vice president of the Federation of American Zionists of New York. In 1898 he accepted the post of chief of the Slavonic Department, New York Public Library
(Astor branch), a position he held until 1917. He joined the editorial board of the Jewish Encyclopedia
as Chief of the Russian department in December 1900.
Rosenthal has been prominently connected with Hebrew literature and with the development of the Haskalah
movement in Russia. He contributed (1859–67) to Ha-Melitz and other Hebrew periodicals, and corresponded with Jacob Reifmann, Leon Gordon, Zweifel, Zederbaum
, Fuenn
, and other Hebrew scholars. In the United States he edited and published, together with A. Rosenberg, the Hebrew monthly Ha-Modia' le-Chodashim (1901). In 1894 Rosenthal founded the society "Ohole Shem," of which he served as president.
Rosenthal translated into German verse "Ecclesiastes
" ("Worte des Sammlers"), New York, 1885, 2d ed. 1893, and the "Song of Songs
" ("Lied der Lieder"), 1893, and, into English, a work by Hugo Ganz, The Land of Riddles, New York, 1905.
His eldest son, Max Rosenthal, born at Krementchug, government of Poltava
, Russia, June 6, 1865, was educated for the medical profession at the universities of Bern, Berlin, and Leipzig
(M.D. 1887). In 1888 he became house surgeon at St. Mark's Hospital, New York City, and for two years he was senior resident physician at the Montefiore Home. He became gynecologist at the German Dispensary and attending gynecologist at the Sydenham Hospital. His other son, George D. Rosenthal, born 1869, was manager of the Edison General Electric Company at St. Louis
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author, editor, and librarian.
Biography
Rosenthal was born in Friedrichstadt (Jaunjelgava)Jaunjelgava
-See also:*List of cities in Latvia...
, Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
. He was educated at Bauske (Bauska)
Bauska
Bauska is a town in Bauska municipality, in the Zemgale region of southern Latvia. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Mūsa and Mēmele where they form the Lielupe River...
and Jakobstadt (Jēkabpils)
Jekabpils
Jēkabpils is a city in Selonia, Latvia roughly halfway between Riga and Daugavpils. The Daugava River runs through the town, and the ancient valley, branches, and islands of the river are considered picturesque...
, graduating in 1859. In that year he translated into German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
several of Nekrasov
Nekrasov
Nekrasov, also Nekrassov , or Nekrasova , is a Russian last name and may refer to:-People:*Aleksandr Nekrasov , Russian mathematician and academician...
's poems. In 1869 he engaged in the printing trade at Krementchug
Kremenchuk
Kremenchuk is an important industrial city in the Poltava Oblast of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Kremenchutskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located on the banks of Dnieper River.-History:Kremenchuk was...
, and in 1870 he published a collection of poems, Gedichte. In the Russo-Turkish war he served in the Russian Red Cross Society and received the society's medal for distinguished service (1877–78). Returning to his craft as master-printer, he pursued it in Smyela, government of Kiev, and in the city of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
until 1881. He produced a humorous story, "Die Wunderliche Kur," in 1872, and later assisted in the founding of Zarya (Dawn), a daily paper, the first number of which appeared at Kiev in 1878. At this time Rosenthal was elected corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Society for the Promotion of Culture Among the Russian Jews.
Interested in the condition of his oppressed coreligionists, Rosenthal sailed for the United States in 1881 for the purpose of founding there agricultural colonies to be settled by Russian Jewish immigrants. During 1881-82 he succeeded in establishing colonies in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. He also took a prominent part in the administration of the Woodbine, New Jersey
Woodbine, New Jersey
Woodbine is a borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 2,716....
, colony in 1891. During 1887 and 1888 Rosenthal engaged in the book-trade, but gave up this occupation on being appointed chief statistician of the Edison General Electric Company
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, a post he held for three years. In 1892 he went to the Far East, whither he was sent by the Great Northern Railway to investigate the economic conditions and trade of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
, on which he published a report (St. Paul, 1893). On his return he was elected secretary of the German-American Reform Union, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and a member of the press bureau of the Committee of Seventy
Committee of Seventy
The Committee of Seventy is a good government group in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, founded in 1904. It is a nonpartisan organization perhaps best known for monitoring elections in the city and its suburbs. Zack Stalberg is President and Chief Executive Officer and Daniel K...
, which was instrumental in the overthrown of the notorious Tweed Ring. In 1894 he was appointed chief of the discharging department of the Immigration Bureau, Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
, New York, an office he occupied two years. In 1897, he became a vice president of the Federation of American Zionists of New York. In 1898 he accepted the post of chief of the Slavonic Department, New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
(Astor branch), a position he held until 1917. He joined the editorial board of the Jewish Encyclopedia
Jewish Encyclopedia
The Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
as Chief of the Russian department in December 1900.
Rosenthal has been prominently connected with Hebrew literature and with the development of the Haskalah
Haskalah
Haskalah , the Jewish Enlightenment, was a movement among European Jews in the 18th–19th centuries that advocated adopting enlightenment values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing education in secular studies, Hebrew language, and Jewish history...
movement in Russia. He contributed (1859–67) to Ha-Melitz and other Hebrew periodicals, and corresponded with Jacob Reifmann, Leon Gordon, Zweifel, Zederbaum
Aleksander Zederbaum
Aleksander Ossypovich Zederbaum was a Polish-Russian Jewish journalist. He was founder and editor of Ha-Meliẓ, and other periodicals published in Russian and Yiddish; he wrote in Hebrew.A son of poor parents, he was apprenticed to a tailor...
, Fuenn
Samuel Joseph Fuenn
Samuel Joseph Fuenn was a Russian scholar born in Vilnius. He received the usual Talmudic education, and also acquired an extensive general knowledge of the profane sciences. In 1848 the government appointed him professor of Hebrew and Jewish history in the newly founded rabbinical school of...
, and other Hebrew scholars. In the United States he edited and published, together with A. Rosenberg, the Hebrew monthly Ha-Modia' le-Chodashim (1901). In 1894 Rosenthal founded the society "Ohole Shem," of which he served as president.
Rosenthal translated into German verse "Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes
The Book of Ecclesiastes, called , is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek translation of the Hebrew title.The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qoheleth , introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem." The work consists of personal...
" ("Worte des Sammlers"), New York, 1885, 2d ed. 1893, and the "Song of Songs
Song of Solomon
The Song of Songs of Solomon, commonly referred to as Song of Songs or Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible—one of the megillot —found in the last section of the Tanakh, known as the Ketuvim...
" ("Lied der Lieder"), 1893, and, into English, a work by Hugo Ganz, The Land of Riddles, New York, 1905.
His eldest son, Max Rosenthal, born at Krementchug, government of Poltava
Poltava Governorate
The Poltava Governorate or Government of Poltava was a guberniya in the historical Left-bank Ukraine region of the Russian Empire, which was officially created in 1802 from the disbanded Malorossiya Governorate which was split between the Chernigov Governorate and Poltava Governorate with an...
, Russia, June 6, 1865, was educated for the medical profession at the universities of Bern, Berlin, and Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
(M.D. 1887). In 1888 he became house surgeon at St. Mark's Hospital, New York City, and for two years he was senior resident physician at the Montefiore Home. He became gynecologist at the German Dispensary and attending gynecologist at the Sydenham Hospital. His other son, George D. Rosenthal, born 1869, was manager of the Edison General Electric Company at St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.