Jewish Theological Seminary of Breslau

It was the first modern rabbinical seminary in Central Europe, an academic precursor to today’s Conservative movement, and a center of Wissenschaft des Judentums.

Commercial Councilor ("Kommerzienrath") Jonas Fränckel, a descendant of a rabbinic family, and a very wealthy bachelor, who devoted his entire fortune to philanthropic and educational purposes, left a bequest for the establishment of a training-school for rabbis and Jewish teachers.

The last-named fund received many additions in later years, and special foundations were created for graduates who had not obtained positions, e.g., the Director Frankel Stiftung, founded on the occasion of Zecharias Frankel's seventieth birthday (1861), and a similar foundation on the occasion of Graetz's seventieth birthday (1887); two prizes, one founded by Joseph Lehmann (1855) with a capital of 1,800 marks, and one by David Kaufmann (1895), in memory of David Rosin, with a capital of 4,000 kronen.

The subjects taught at the rabbinical seminary were: Talmudic literature, by the president ("Director"); history and exegesis, by Heinrich Graetz; philosophy of religion, by Jakob Bernays; homiletics and Midrash, by Manuel Joël; and the calendar by Zuckermann, who was also librarian.

In 1866 Bernays was called as professor of philosophy and chief librarian to the University of Bonn, and he was succeeded at the seminary by David Rosin, who held the post until his death (December 31, 1894).

Joël, who entered upon the duties of his office January 1, 1880, died September 9, 1882; and since his death the presidency of the seminary was held in turn by the members of the faculty.