Albert Cohn (scholar)

Albert Cohn (born in Presburg, Hungary, September 14, 1814; died in Paris, March 15, 1877) was a French Jewish philanthropist and scholar.

He belonged to an Alsatian family which had settled in Hungary during the eighteenth century. From 1824 to 1836 he lived in Vienna, studying first in the gymnasium and afterward at the university, and receiving in 1834 the degree of doctor of philosophy. He was then chiefly interested in Oriental languages, and, through the influence of Professor Wenrich, was engaged as teacher of Hebrew in the Protestant seminary. He was introduced at the same time to the Orientalist, Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall, who employed him as one of his secretaries.

Baron von Hammer-Purgstall was instrumental in forming Cohn's decision to leave Vienna, where at that time there was no hope of preferment for a Jew, and to settle in Paris, which he did in 1836. Then began his lifelong connection with the Rothschild family. Three of the children of Baron James de Rothschild received successively from him their instruction in Hebrew and in Jewish history; and in 1839, after a year spent with his pupils in Palestine and in Austria, he was placed by the baron and baroness in charge of their extensive charities, a position which he held for the remainder of his life.

Cohn worked for the charity commission of the Paris community, of which he was successively treasurer and president, making it a model for similar institutions throughout Europe.

His next field of activity was among the Jews of Algeria, under their French conquerors. In 1845, and again in 1847, he visited the country, often traveling through districts where war was raging, and where the life of a European was insecure. His reports, presented by him personally to King Louis Philippe and to his son, the duc d'Aumale, led to an organization of the Jewish communities of Algeria which was destined to bring about their gradual assimilation with the Jewish communities of France.

Cohn was again in Algeria in 1860, after visiting Morocco, where matters pertaining to the Jews, which required his attention, arose from the Spanish expedition of that year. Owing to his influence with the celebrated Don Juan Prim and others, these matters were solved in a manner that was favorable to the Jewish population.

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