Solomon Steinheim
Encyclopedia
Solomon Ludwig Steinheim (1789–1866) was a German physician, poet, and philosopher.
(according to some authorities, in Bruchhausen
, Westphalia
). He was educated first at the Christianeum
, Altona, and pursued his medical studies at the University of Kiel
. He had hardly graduated when he found a wide field for his activity in Altona, whither the inhabitants of the sister city of Hamburg
, then occupied by the French troops, had fled to escape the Russian blockade, bringing with them typhus fever, which at that time was raging in the Hanseatic town. In 1845 ill health forced him to abandon a medical career and to betake himself to milder climes. He settled in Rome
, returning to his country only twice, in 1845 and 1864. He died May 19, 1866, at Zurich
, Switzerland
.
The Salomon Ludwig Steinheim Institute
of the University of Duisburg-Essen
in Duisburg
Germany
has been named after him in recognition of his contributions as a philosopher.
, Hippocrates
, and Celsus
, took a great interest in natural history. In 1820 he published a Pamphlet on the grasshopper, and in 1842 one on animal instinct. His treatise on the pathology of tumors (1846) was his chief contribution to medical literature. His main attention, however, was devoted to philosophy and religion; he was a zealous adherent of Immanuel Kant
. As early as 1818 he had written an essay on ecstasis; and in 1835 he published the first volume of his Die Offenbarung nach dem Lehrbegriff der Synagoge. In this work, for which he prepared himself by a careful study of comparative religion, he, though a freethinker, endeavored to raise revelation from a religious belief to a philosophic truth. While, according to him, all important philosophic systems lead to the dualistic struggle between good and evil, the revelation of the Old Testament
places in the forefront as axioms "creatio ex nihilo," and, consequently, the unity of God, belief in which is essential to religion and morality.
The second volume of Steinheim's life-work consisting of twenty-five lectures, appeared under the title Das Dogma der Synagoge als Exakte Wissenschaft; the third volume (1863) treats of the struggle between revelation
and paganism
; while the fourth volume (1865) contains a series of separate essays on various subjects (e.g., the theory of Creation according to the Old Testament), polemics against Ignaz von Döllinger's Heidenthum und Judenthum and Ferdinand Christian Baur
's Dogmengeschichte, etc.
Steinheim in his Meditationen and in his contributions to the Kieler Zeitung
earnestly advocated the emancipation of the Jews
. Of his poems, Sinai and Obadjah Sohn Amos Lieder aus der Verbannung (Altona, 1829; 2d ed. Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1837) deserve special mention.
Biography
Solomon was born August 6, 1789, in AltonaAltona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
(according to some authorities, in Bruchhausen
Bruchhausen
Bruchhausen is a municipality in the district of Neuwied, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany....
, Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
). He was educated first at the Christianeum
Christianeum Hamburg
The Christianeum in Hamburg is a famous former "Latin school" in Hamburg, northern Germany. Founded in 1738 by King Christian VI of Denmark, it is now housed in a building planned by Danish designer Arne Jacobsen.-History:...
, Altona, and pursued his medical studies at the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
. He had hardly graduated when he found a wide field for his activity in Altona, whither the inhabitants of the sister city of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, then occupied by the French troops, had fled to escape the Russian blockade, bringing with them typhus fever, which at that time was raging in the Hanseatic town. In 1845 ill health forced him to abandon a medical career and to betake himself to milder climes. He settled in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, returning to his country only twice, in 1845 and 1864. He died May 19, 1866, at Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
The Salomon Ludwig Steinheim Institute
Salomon Ludwig Steinheim Institute
The Salomon Ludwig Steinheim Institute of German-Jewish Studies is a research institute of the University of Duisburg-Essen whose research focuses on the cultural and religious history as well as the history of literature and events of the Jewish community in German-speaking areas...
of the University of Duisburg-Essen
University of Duisburg-Essen
The University Duisburg-Essen is a public university in Duisburg and Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and a member of the new founded University Alliance Metropolis Ruhr....
in Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
has been named after him in recognition of his contributions as a philosopher.
Works
Steinheim, besides remaining a lifelong student of AristotleAristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
, and Celsus
Celsus
Celsus was a 2nd century Greek philosopher and opponent of Early Christianity. He is known for his literary work, The True Word , written about by Origen. This work, c. 177 is the earliest known comprehensive attack on Christianity.According to Origen, Celsus was the author of an...
, took a great interest in natural history. In 1820 he published a Pamphlet on the grasshopper, and in 1842 one on animal instinct. His treatise on the pathology of tumors (1846) was his chief contribution to medical literature. His main attention, however, was devoted to philosophy and religion; he was a zealous adherent of Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher from Königsberg , researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy and anthropology at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment....
. As early as 1818 he had written an essay on ecstasis; and in 1835 he published the first volume of his Die Offenbarung nach dem Lehrbegriff der Synagoge. In this work, for which he prepared himself by a careful study of comparative religion, he, though a freethinker, endeavored to raise revelation from a religious belief to a philosophic truth. While, according to him, all important philosophic systems lead to the dualistic struggle between good and evil, the revelation of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
places in the forefront as axioms "creatio ex nihilo," and, consequently, the unity of God, belief in which is essential to religion and morality.
The second volume of Steinheim's life-work consisting of twenty-five lectures, appeared under the title Das Dogma der Synagoge als Exakte Wissenschaft; the third volume (1863) treats of the struggle between revelation
Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
and paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
; while the fourth volume (1865) contains a series of separate essays on various subjects (e.g., the theory of Creation according to the Old Testament), polemics against Ignaz von Döllinger's Heidenthum und Judenthum and Ferdinand Christian Baur
Ferdinand Christian Baur
Ferdinand Christian Baur was a German theologian and leader of the Tübingen school of theology...
's Dogmengeschichte, etc.
Steinheim in his Meditationen and in his contributions to the Kieler Zeitung
Kieler Nachrichten
The Kieler Nachrichten or KN is the only German language newspaper published in Kiel, Germany. It is published by "Kieler Zeitung Verlags und Druckerei KG-GmbH & Co.", a subdivision of Axel Springer AG which owns 24.5 percent of the company...
earnestly advocated the emancipation of the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
. Of his poems, Sinai and Obadjah Sohn Amos Lieder aus der Verbannung (Altona, 1829; 2d ed. Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1837) deserve special mention.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie
- S. Bernfeld, Da'at Elohim, i. 593
- M. Isler, in Arch. Isr. 1866, pp. 671-677