Hugo Bergmann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hugo Bergmann
|
|
|---|---|
Bergmann, 1939
|
|
| Born |
Samuel Hugo Bergmann
December 25, 1883 Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary
|
| Died | June 18, 1975 (aged 91) |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Occupation | Philosopher |
| Children | Martin S. Bergmann |
| Relatives | Michael Bergmann (grandson) Pavel Bergmann (nephew) |
Hugo Bergmann (born December 25, 1883 – died June 18, 1975) was an important Israeli philosopher. He was born in Prague, which was then part of Austria-Hungary. His Hebrew name was שמואל הוגו ברגמן.
Contents
About Hugo Bergmann's Life
Hugo Samuel Bergmann grew up in Prague. He was part of a group of smart thinkers and artists. They often met at the home of Berta Fanta. Bergmann later married her daughter, Else Fanta.
In 1920, Bergmann and his wife moved to Palestine. This move is called aliyah, which means immigrating to Israel. They settled in the Rehavia neighborhood of Jerusalem.
From 1920 to 1935, Bergmann was the director of the Jewish National Library. He invited Gershom Scholem, a famous scholar, to lead the Judaica Division there.
Bergmann also helped start an organization called Brit Shalom. He founded it with Martin Buber. This group wanted Jews and Arabs to live together peacefully in the State of Israel. They believed in a "binational solution," meaning both groups would share the land.
Hugo Bergmann had a son named Martin S. Bergmann. Martin became a psychology professor at New York University. Hugo's nephew, Pavel Bergmann, was a Czech philosopher. His grandson, Michael Bergmann, is an American director and writer.
Hugo Bergmann's Work and Studies
Hugo Bergmann became a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He later became the dean of the university. He was good friends with several famous people from his school days. These included the writer Franz Kafka and the philosopher Felix Weltsch. Weltsch later worked at the Hebrew University Library. Bergmann also introduced his friend Max Brod to Zionism before 1910. Zionism is the movement to create and support a Jewish homeland.
Bergmann wrote about complex ideas in science and philosophy. He explored how things happen in nature and how much freedom individuals have. He also translated several books by Rudolf Steiner into Hebrew. These books were about a concept called the "Threefold Social Order."
Awards and Special Recognition
Hugo Bergmann received many important awards for his work:
- He won the Israel Prize twice. This is one of Israel's highest honors.
- In 1954, he received it for his work in the humanities.
- In 1974, he won it again for his special contributions to Israeli society.
- In 1967, he received the Yakir Yerushalayim award. This means "Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem." He was one of the first people to get this award.
- He also won the Tchernichovsky Prize. This award is given for excellent translations of books.
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients
- List of German Jews
- List of Czech and Slovak Jews
- Bergmann
