The Denver Jewish news., 1920-11-10
The Second Generation
AN APPRECIATION OF THE LIFE
AND WORK OF MARCUS BRANN.
by PROF. GOTTHARD pEUTSCH.
Copyright, 1920 by ]. ]. =. b.

One Of the most distressing diff
culties in Jewish history has always
been to me. the absence of definite
chronological data in the history Of
the Talmudic period. II we would
know exactly the biographical date of
Hillel. .Johanan Ben Zakkai, ElieZer
Ben Hyrcanlls. Akiha, Meir and Judah
Hanasi in the same way that we know
the biographical facts of rabbis and
spiritual leaders in Judaism durinS
the eighteenth and nineteenth CEN
turtles, the development of Jewish re
ligion during the most critical period
of its history, namely, during the rise
of Christianity would be much clear
err to us than it is now. 1t would
lead too far to show it in individual
instances. ] shall quote only one.
Eleazar of Modiin enumerates among
chose who will be excluded from a
future life, those who despise holy
days, who break the covenant of Abra-
ham and who explain the TOrah with
out regard to Halakah Cabot, 3, -.
between this rabbi and the apostle
Paul, or whoever the author Of
Fpistles to the Romans and to the
Galatians was. the illusions in that
statement would be much clearer to
us.
Fortunately, in modern times, be-
ginning with the 10th century. we be-
came better equipped with regard to
these questions. 1t is therefore. cas-
Ter for us now to understand what n
school or generation stands for.
Marcus Brann. who according to n
cable report died recently in Bres-
lau. is the representative of the sec
Gnd generation of modern Jewish
scholarship in Judaism. He was born
in Rawicz. July o. 1910. As the son
of rabbi who probably received the
old fashioned Talmudic education Gus
tomary in the province of Posen,
which, nltho Prussian since the end
Of the 18th century. had still retained
in its Jewish life the Polish tradi-
tions. and he probably afterwards
by sclf-instruction acquired secular
knowledge. The son received an en-
tirely modern eduaction at the gym
nasium and the university. As an IL
lustration of this point I quote tlle
fact that he wrote his doctor thesis
on the Sons of Herod in Latin.
Marcus Brann entered the seminary
Of Breslau at period of its uncon-
tested supremacy as n training school
for rabbis under the guidance of Zech-
Prague in 1901. The men hnder whose
spiritual -guiln nee he receiygi-ifs first
impression We're disciples of the IA
nous Ezekial Landau f1713-1703).
who for nearly forty years (1755r
1893 exercised great influence as
chief rabbi of the famous old congre-
CATION. Landau, like his, contempor-
ary. Elijah of, wilma, (1T2O11oD
stood for strict Talmudic orthodoxy
which was as much opposed to modern
secular culture as it was to the mystic
cccentricities of Hasidism The gen
Grafton following him had partly be-
come bitterly antagonistic to rabbinic
Judaism and partly. while faithful TO
rabbinic tradition. reconciled to mod
ern culture. To the second class he
longs Landaus disciple and successor.
EleaZar Fleckeles t175-lS2G). The
other class is mainly represented in
Prague by Herr Homberg 1I59-1Sil),
former tutor in Moses Mendelssohns
family. Frankel chose the middle
path He was n conservative Je"
who respected. loved and diligently
studied rabbinic' Judaism, while on
;he other hand rising far above such
mediocrities like Homberg, genuine
scholar in all secular subjects which
had any bearing on Jewish literature
especially in Greek.
One of the first modern training
schools for rabbis was opened in Bres-
lau in 1854. Frankcl became its pres
ident and his spirit impressed itself
very strongly on his disciples who be-
came, as he wanted them to be, gen
uine scholars and conservative Jews.
He was assisted by the most prOmi-
nent member of his faculty. Heinrich
Graetz GS17-1S9D. GraetZ. altl)
bitterly attacked by the orthodox as
an infidel, was really a conservative
man or-to put it more precisely
bitterly opposed to reform. Judaism
was to him an expression of the ma
tional spirit of the Jewish people. He
was a Zionist before the word became
known. BY his teaching. and more so
by his written works, Graetz became
powerful influence Oh the young men
who were sitting at his feet. Thru