Hugo Bergmann
Samuel Hugo Bergman ( n ), Hugo Bergman ( n ) or Shmuel Hugo Bergman ( n ) ( born December 25, 1883 in Prague, † June 18, 1975 in Jerusalem ) was a German pioneer of modern Hebrew philosophy, writer and librarian.
Biography
Hugo ( Shmuel ) Bergmann was the second son of Mr and Mrs Sigmund Bergmann and Johanna, nee Fischer, in Prague to the world. His parents came from Bohemia rural communities and led a traditional Jewish household. He attended the Old Town Gymnasium in Prague, where he became friends with one of his classmates, Franz Kafka.
Bergmann studied in Prague and Berlin, philosophy and science. Already during his studies he met Martin Buber and Franz Brentano, whose thought exerted great influence on him. One of his school friends were also part of the close friends Kafka, Max Brod and Felix Weltsch. All three held for decades strong bond of friendship to Israel.
Bergmann joined the Zionist student group Bar Kochba and the idea of a Jewish state began to propagate in articles. After completing his studies in 1907 he took a job as a librarian at the University Library of Prague. In 1908 he married in Prague Else Fanta, daughter of dedicated Theosophist, later anthroposophist Berta Fanta. During this time, his lifelong interest in Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophy, whose lectures he attended a number of times from 1909 began. This gave rise to a personal acquaintance and an intensive exchange of ideas.
On a trip to Palestine in 1910, he decided to devote himself to the building, which was founded in 1892 Jewish Library. When he went as Head of the Cultural Department of the Zionist movement to London after the First World War, where he served in the Austrian army, he began to collect funds for his projects. Just one year later, he immigrated to Palestine and began work at the Hebrew National Library, which has now also to the university library. Bergmann led the library until 1935, at which a few years later his friend Felix Weltsch 1940 this took office. In April 1925, the teaching at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem was opened. Bergmann began his teaching career there in 1928 at the Department of Philosophy, 1935, he became a full professor and took over the presidency.
Bergmann was co-editor and co-author of the Encyclopaedia Hebraica, the 16 -volume Encyclopaedia Judaica and the philosophical Vierteljahrsschrift ijun ( reflection ). He called Kiryat Sefer 1924, the Israeli national bibliography to life. With Franz Rosenzweig, Walter Benjamin, Eugen Rosenstock- Huessy and Ernst Simon he belonged to the circle of authors of the von Weizsäcker, edited by Martin Buber, Joseph Wittig and Viktor Christian-Jewish Journal creature.
He was a member of the Zionist Socialist Workers Party HaPoel HaZair ( young workers) and, together with Martin Buber, Hans Kohn, Robert Weltsch, Gershom Scholem and other mostly German immigrants co-founder of the Association of Brit Shalom (Eng. " commitment to peace," engl. " Covenant of Peace " ), who had a bi-national state in Palestine, the goal of living together as equals in which Jews and Arabs. In 1947 he headed in that capacity, the Jewish delegation to the conference on interfaith Asian relations in New Delhi.
In addition to his political activities Bergmann was particularly interested in science and religion. He wrote in Hebrew on Kant, Maimonides and philosophers of the 20th century. For his work, especially his introduction to the logic, he was awarded the 1954 Israel Prize, the highest award of the State of Israel, for the humanities. The Israel Prize, he was again twenty years later for his special contribution to society and the State.
The spiritual approaches of anthroposophy interested miner so strong that he regularly held at the Hebrew University courses on Steiner's Philosophy of Freedom (1894 ) and translated some of his writings in modern Hebrew, including How to Know Higher Worlds? ( 1904/ 05, printed Tel Aviv, 1978)
Bergmann's religious thought was particularly influenced by his encounter with Martin Buber. He became deeply involved with religious thinkers such as Franz Rosenzweig and Aurobindo. Faith had direct experience, a dialogical encounter with God for him. In his religious and philosophical masterpiece thinkers and believers he summarizes these thoughts together. With faith and reason he gave an introduction to contemporary Jewish thought.
Discount
The extensive writing discount miner is kept in the National Library of Israel, including his correspondence and manuscripts of works.