Aaron Bernstein

Aaron David Bernstein (pseudonym: A. Vines Stone ) ( born April 6, 1812 in Gdansk, † February 12, 1884 in Berlin) was a German - Jewish writer and a co-founder of Reform Judaism in Berlin.

Life

Aaron Bernstein grew up in Gdansk, the son of a rabbi and received a thorough Jewish religious education, but no secular education. The age of 20, he traveled to Berlin, where he studied as a self-taught German language and literature and science subjects. For some years he earned his living as a seller of antiquarian books. His literary career began in 1834 with the publication of an annotated translation of the biblical Song of Songs. In 1848 he fought during the March revolution for democratic ideals. 1849, when the revolutionary enthusiasm had subsided, he founded the primary electors newspaper, in which he called for moderate political reforms under the pseudonym A. Vines stone. This brought him into conflict with the authorities, which in the spring of 1853 could set the newspaper and sentenced Bernstein to four months in prison. When founded as a successor to Franz Duncker "Berliner Volks -Zeitung ", he participated as an editorial writer, in her his political and popular scientific articles published over 30 years long. He was co-founder of the liberal Jewish Reform Congregation in Berlin and editor of the published monthly reform newspaper. In 1860 he published the novels " Vögele the Maggid " and " Mendel Gibbor " which glorify the Jewish people living in the small German towns and sentimental in this area represented a novelty. They were in 1934 and 1935, re-edited and translated into several languages. On March 27, 1861 Bernstein joined the Society of Friends.

However, his main interest lay in the natural sciences. His " Science chapbooks " 1855-56 were published in 21 volumes, repeatedly launched later and reached great popularity. They are, inter alia, also as an important influence on the intellectual development of young Albert Einstein. Bernstein himself was applied scientists and conducted numerous experiments in the fields of telegraphy and photography.

In a characteristic amber Isidor Kastan says, " Bernstein was not a radical according to popular opinion, but he was a staunch and fearless advocate of democratic principles peculiar to him was with all sharpness in journalistic fight the enemy some phlegm, an ironic. rest. he smiled even in the most bitter disputes with the enemy he thereby often tempted to fatal imprudence. had he brought his opponent only in this mood, he ruffled him mercilessly and left him there feel all the corrosiveness of his ridicule, without However, ever violating the literary forms of transport. he had a natural unerring taste and a capable addition of humor with which he knew how to deal with the opponent and disarm him. "

One of his sons was the physiologist Julius Bernstein. The Social Democrat Eduard Bernstein was his nephew.

Works

• "Facts are striking " ( Berl. 1843)
• » Natural Sciences chapbooks " (5th edition of Potonie and Hennig, Berl. 1897-99, 21 Tle )
• " Revolution and Reaction history of Prussia and Germany from the March days to newest Time " (1883-1884, 3 ​​vols )
• » Vögele the Maggid " and " Mendel Gibbor " (1860, 7th edition, 1892)
• "Origin of the legends of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob " ( 1871)
• " Force of nature and spirit reign " (1874, 2nd edition 1884)
• » Nature and Culture, Observations" ( Leipz. 1879)