Solomon Birnbaum served in World War I in the Austro-Hungarian Army, and then studied and attained a doctorate from the University of Würzburg,[1] specializing in languages of Asia.
[2] After the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, in 1933 Birnbaum emigrated to Great Britain with his wife, Irene Grünwald,[3] and his children, in 1933.
[2] From 1936 to 1957, Birnbaum was a lecturer on Hebrew paleography and epigraphy at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London.
He taught Yiddish at the same time at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies of the University of London, from 1939 to 1958.
[2] During World War II, Birnbaum worked in the postal censorship for the British authorities.