Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 6.djvu/57

27 Goldschmidt, Julius Goldschmidt, Meir Aaron

work which occupied him during the remainder of his lifetime, but which he did not live to complete, namely, "Das Handbucli des Handelsrechts," Er- langen, 1864-68. This is the work with which his fame as a historical jurist is identified, it being rec- ognized as a masterly presentation of the general history of commercial law.

In 1866 Goldschmidt was promoted to a professor- ship in the juridical faculty at Heidelberg. He next received the appointment of " Justizrat" intheBun- desgericht at Leipsic, afterward occupying a judicial position at the Reichsoberlrandelsgericht. In 1875 he became professor of commercial law in Berlin University, and received the title " Greheimer Justiz- rat. " From 1875 to 1877 he was also a member of the German Reichstag, representing the city of Leipsic.

Of his further publications the following deserve special mention: "Das Dreijahrige Studium der Rechts- und Staatswissenschaften," Berlin, 1878; "Erwerbs- und Wirtschaftsgenossenschaften, Stu- dien und Vorschlage," Stuttgart, 1882; "Rechts- studium und Priif ungsordnung, " ib. 1887; "Die Haf tpflicht der Genossen und das Umlageverfahren, " Berlin, 1888; "System des Handelsrechts," Stutt- gart, 1887, 4th ed., 1891.

Bibliography : Riesser, OedUchtnissrede, Berlin, 1897 (with portrait); Pappenheim, Nachruf, in Zeitschrift fllr Han- delfrecht., xlvli. ; Deutsche Jurtstenzeitung, li., No. 15; Ad- ler. Levin Qoldschmidt, in Bettellieim, Biographisches jahr- huch, ii. 119-122. S. M. Co.

GOLDSCHMIDT, LOTHAR.

LOTHAR.

See Schmidt,

GOLDSCHMIDT, MEIB AARON: Danish political writer; born Oct. 36, 1819, at Vording- borg, Denmark ; died at Copenhagen Aug. 15, 1887. The dream of his youth was to become a famous physician, but as Danish church orthodoxy pre- vented him, because he was a Jew, from taking his B.A. degree (1836), Goldschmidt gave up the academic course, and in 1837 started the " Nastved Ugeblad" (later called "Sjallandsposten"), a polit- ical weekly. He at once came into conflict with the authorities, and was fined heavily, and condemned to submit his publication to censorship for a year. Goldschmidt sold the paper, and as the Danish king fPrederick VI.) died at this time and a liberal gov- ernment was expected under his successor (Christian VIII.), he moved to Copenhagen, and again entered into politics, with a new paper, the "Corsaren " (Oc- tober, 1840). This journal was a brilliant but reck- less paper, representing extreme republicanism or socialism, and taking a strong stand against the crown, which had failed to grant the expected liber- ties. For this the government promptly condemned Goldschmidt to imprisonment on bread and water for twenty-four days, and to the permanent cen- sorship of his paper. But he was undaunted and continued the publication of the "Corsaren." It likewise brought him into conflict with individual public men, but it matured his mind, won him fame, and caused some novels of his to sell so well (1846) that he went abroad on the proceeds (1847). In Coppet he met the reformed priest

Melr Aaron Goldschmidt.

Piguet and was much influenced by liim. Gold- schmidt himself admits that an unconscious Chris- tian influence is perceptible in "Nordog Syd," which he edited 1847-59. This magazine was also polit- ical, but of a mucli more moderate tone. In 1861 Goldschmidt started another magazine, " Ude og Hjemme," but soon discontinued it, and, thoroughly disgusted with Danish affairs, he moved to England in 1861. He returned, however, in 1862, but from that time on remained outside of politics. His career is not unlike that of Georg Brandbs, with this dif- ference, that Gold- schmidt used politics where Brandos used literature to rouse the Danish apathy, lioping to change its philistine attitude toward the problems of life. Gold- schmidt's social-polit- ical influence was im- mense, though nega- tive as far as visible and systematic results were concerned, be- cause he stood alone and had to fight the crown as well as the forces of mediocrity.

After his return in 1863 Goldschmidt devoted himself entirely to literature, in which he became especially remarkable as a master of In style. As a man he was romantic-

Literature, mystic as much as he was Jewish, but his mysticism was Oriental in cast ; and his romanticism was original and neither ecclesias- tical nor medieval. These traits are evident in "En J5de " (1845), which has been translated into sev- eral European languages; "Ravnen" (1868-69); "HjemlOs" (1859); "I den anden Verden " (1869). He wrote also " Fortallinger og Skildringer" (1863- 1865), " Arvingen " (1867), and several plays, among which " Rabbineren og Ridderen " (1869) and " Sve- denborg's Ungdom" (1863) were staged at the Royal Theater.

Goldschmidt endeavored to construct a philosoph- ical world-system on the basis of Nemesis, but his work on this subject has not yet been published. It is a noteworthy attempt to translate Hebrew theism into abstract thought and enliven that thought with moral sentiment. Goldschmidt called the last volume of his autobiography "Nemesis" (3 vols., 1877), and everywhere in it points to Nemesis as shaping his life. The same thought is found in " Ravnen " (1868- 1869) and " En Skavank " (1867). In the latter novel he connects his doctrine with ancient Egyptian wor- ship. Goldschmidt is remarkable for his psycholog- ical insight and his masterly delineation of Jewish character, especially in its profounder aspects. Typical in this respect are his " Maser " and " Av- rohmda Nattergal. "

Bibliography: Goldschmidt, Livserindrinijer og Resultater, 1877; S. Kierkegaard, Bladartikler, 1857; O. Borchsenius, Fra Purrerne, 1880; G. Brandes, Krttikher og Portrilter, (Works 1., 1899); Jos. Michaelsen, Fra min Samtid, 1890; Biografisk Lexicon, vl. : Salmonsen's Konversations- lehsCknn. vil.; P. Hansen, lllustreret Dansk Lttteratur His- toric, 1902, 1. s. C. H. B.