Depping was born in Münster, Westphalia, and moved to Paris in 1803, where he lived as a teacher and writer.
Depping wrote Les Juifs dans le moyen âge, essai historique sur leur état civil, commercial et littéraire (Paris, 1834; 2d ed., 1844; German transl., Stuttgart, 1834).
and what misfortunes met those exiles who in barbaric times wished to preserve their national customs and a religion offensive to those among whom they lived.” The book owed its origin to the offer of a prize, in 1821, by the Royal Academy for a work describing the condition of the Jews in France during the medieval period.
It is to be regretted that those rabbinical sources which were not accessible in the form of translations were but seldom consulted.
He assisted Malte-Brun in his geographical works, and wrote descriptive sketches of Switzerland, Greece, England, and other countries.