Immanuel Oscar Menahem Deutsch

Background

Deutsch was born in Neisse, Prussian Silesia (now Nysa, Poland), of Jewish extraction.

Education

Deutsch was education by his uncle, to whose inspiration he owed his interest in oriental languages and literature. On reaching his sixteenth year, he began his studies at the University of Berlin, paying special attention to theology and the Talmud. He also mastered the English language and studied English literature.

Career

In 1855 Deutsch was appointed assistant in the library of the British Museum. He worked intensely on the Talmud and contributed no less than 190 papers to Chambers's Encyclopaedia, in addition to essays in Kitto's and Smith's Biblical Dictionaries, and articles in periodicals. In October 1867 his article on "The Talmud, " published in the Quarterly Review, made him known. It was translated into French, German, Russian, Swedish, Dutch and Danish.

His Literary Remains, edited by Lady Strangford, were published in 1874, consisting of nineteen papers on such subjects as "The Talmud, " "Islam, " "Semitic Culture, " "Egypt, Ancient and Modern, " "Semitic Languages, " "The Targums, " "The Samaritan Pentateuch, " and "Arabic Poetry. "

Achievements

• Deutsch was distinguished by his work in the British Museum and by his articles that promoted Semitic studies.