Erwin Isak Jacob Rosenthal (18 September 1904 – 1991), was a German-born British Hebrew scholar and orientalist.

Early life

Erwin Isak Jacob Rosenthal was born in

Heilbronn Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District. From the late Middle Ages on, it developed into an important trading centre. At the begi ...

, Germany, on 18 September 1904 into a Jewish family. He was educated at the

University of Heidelberg Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public university, public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is List ...

, and the

University of Berlin The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The university was established by Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humbol ...

where he studied History, Arabic, and Aramaic, and published his dissertation in 1932, and then with

Leo Baeck Leo Baeck (; 23 May 1873 – 2 November 1956) was a 20th-century German rabbi, scholar, and theologian. He served as leader of Reform Judaism in his native country and internationally, and later represented all German Jews during the Nazi ...

, Hanokh Albeck, and

Ismar Elbogen Ismar Elbogen (September 1, 1874 – August 1, 1943) was a German rabbi, scholar and historian. Biography Yitzhak Moshe (Itamar) Elbogen was born in Posen. He was taught by his uncle, Jacob Levy, author of the "'", and then attended the gym ...

Career

In 1933, Rosenthal and his wife left Nazi Germany and moved to London, where he was appointed as a part-time lecturer in Hebrew and North Semitic Epigraphy at

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

, then Manchester, and later Cambridge. Rosenthal became a Fellow of Pembroke College and a Reader in Oriental Studies at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

Selected publications

*''Political Thought in Medieval Islam'' (1958) *''Judaism and Islam'' (Thomas Yoseloff, London, 1961) *''Islam in the Modern National State'' (1965)

Personal life

He married Elisabeth Charlotte Marx (1907–1996), and they had two children, Tom Rosenthal a publisher, and Miriam Hodgson, an editor of children's books.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosenthal, Erwin Isak Jacob 1904 births 1991 deaths Fellows of Pembroke College, Cambridge Heidelberg University alumni Humboldt University of Berlin alumni Academics of the University of Cambridge British orientalists Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United Kingdom