Joël Hermann

Rabbi from Jelenia Góra

Hermann Joël came from a rabbinical family. He was born on 5 October 1821 in Birnbaum, that is Międzychód County. His mother was Liebke (Liebchen) nee Freudenheim (1791 – died before 1860), later known as Helene. Father - rabbi Chaim Heyman Joël (1790-1845) was employed consecutively in Inowrocław, Międzychód, and since 1832 in Skwierzyna (Schwerin am Warthe). Considered as a maven of Talmud. He run cheder (elementary Jewish school), and also jesziwa (academic institution for boys preparing for rabbinical ministry) in Skwierzyna. Hermann Joël was an author of his father’s posthumous biography published in german press ^[1]. Wrote about late with a great respect, regarding his devotion and religious knowledge, as well as his fatherly concern and raising sons in fathers’ faith.

In facilities run by Chaim Heyman all of his three sons begun their education:David (1812-1882), Hermann and Manuel (1826-1890). It is known that David and Hermann studied also reputed poznanian rabbi Akiwa Eger (approx. 1833-1837). Since 1834 Fryderyk Wilhelm’s male middle school has functioned in Poznań, at which Hermann has probably studied or just externally passed the matura exam. Then went to Berlin to study philosophy since 6 May 1842 ^[2]. He called that period in his life a golden era ^[3]. He mentioned scientific personalities such as Friedrich Schelling (whom he visited and drunk tea and and was considered as one of his favourite students), and also: Leopold von Ranke, Heinrich Wilhelm Dove and Friedrich Karl Savigny. Time spent on studying in Berlin must have been prominent for each of Joël brothers. They studied two faculties at the same time: philosophy at the University and- being rabbis- pursued Jewish religious studies. Right there in Berlin they have made a contact with Wissenschaft des Judentums representatives - scientific knowledge about Judaism movement, and with Judaism’s religious reform as well, but not for the first time, because their father was considered as a reforms proponent.

In 1850-1855 Hermann Joël was a rabbi in Düsseldorf. There he married Julia Gottschalk, but there is few information about his first marriage. He left that borough, because it was too orthodox. Since 1856 to 1860 he has worked in Stadthagen in Lower Saxony. In 1858, while hallowing the new synagogue, he gave a sermon, but its publication wasn’t kept ^[4]. However, it is known he was considered as a gifted orator speakers’ heart-tugging, and a person looking for God in nature, philosopher and historian as well. In 1857 he applied (probably unsuccessfully) for a rabbi’s job in Staragard Szczeciński. His last and the longest place of employment, for two decades, was Hirschberg- Jelenia Góra.

He was in Jelenia Góra most likely in April 1860, but it is not known precisely when he moved there ^[5]. Moritz Vogt has admitted rabbi Joël’s presence in 1886 ^[6]. There is no information about his first place of residence. It is sure that in 1860s he was married for the second time, and during the last decade of his life he was living with his wife Matylda (nee Scherbel) and children on Stondorferstraβe 30 (Mickiewicza 15) ^[7]. That villa, built in 1874, didn’t belong to them ^[8]. They rented one of five-room apartment, and after rabbi’s death, the widow with underage children has stayed in it for year or two ^[9]. At home they probably read local press- „Der Bote aus dem Riesengebirge”, because announcements about their children: Karl (1864-1934) ^[10] - later famous philosopher and rector of Bzylea University, and daughters- Gertrude (1866-?) and Hedwig (1868-1934)- appeared in it. Joël have undoubtely walked hills, because Karl Joël has mentioned about it many times, a.o. reminiscence about his uncle Manuel ^[11].

Rabbi Joël Hermann was surely a proponent of canonical reforms. The liturgy in Jelenia Góra synagogue on Hintergasse 20 (later Priestergasse, now Kopernika) was officiated in that belief. It is confirmed in Statuty gminy (1856) and Synagogen-Ordnung (1861) ^[12]. It is known that the choir has been singing during the church service and at the west balcony church organs were placed ^[13]. It is typical pracice for a reformed current of german Judaism. In August 1862 Hermann Joël wrote an introduction to a songbook published for Jelenia Góra’s Jewish borough ^[14]. The same year he published a sermon that he preached in 1861 and since 1863 at least two sets of festive sermons have been published (Fest-Predigten) ^[15]. They were promoted in press, especially in Allgemeine Zeitung des Judentums ^[16].

As mentioned before Moritz Vogt has set down, on 18 October 1861 rabbi dr Joël preached a sermon in synagogue in honour of Wilhelm I. Every year there was royal (and later imperial) birthday celebrated ^[17]. Vogt has also wrote about Joël’s sermon on the same occasion in 1863 ^[18]. He also attested rabbi’s activities as an official and Jewish borough’s representative during other ceremonies, e.g. his attendance during placing cornerstone for building catholic school on 26 May 1862 ^[19]. He has also precisely descripted celebrations of borough’s fifty years jubilee in 1864, as well as the subject of Joël’s sermon and the content of the toast made during the dinner ^[20].

Furthermore, Vogt has set royal couple’s visit Erdmansdorf castle (in Mysłakowice) down in August 1866 mentioning only the titles Their Royal Highness „Frau Prinzessin Carl von Berlin” and Kronprinz ^[21]. From the press is is known that at the station in Reibnitz (Rybnica) rabbi Joë was intoduced to the crown prince when he was coming to Mysłakowice, and that they had a long conversation ^[22]. Karl Joël mentioned that his father during the other occasion- a dinner- has been talking to the queen (empress) Augusta , who has given a positive opinion about Judaism and rabbi’s work ^[23].

In Jelenia Góra Hermann Joël has been teaching Jewish religion in three urban schools Königliches Gymnasium, Städtische höhere Mädchenschule and Städtische Mittelschulen. It is also known that he was a member of Zweig-Verein der Kaiser-Wilhelm-Stiftung für deutsche Invaliden - a branch of Empress Wilhelm’s foundation association established in 1871 for german invalids ^[24].

Rabbi Hermann Joël died at the age of 59 on Monday 20 December 1880 at 9 a.m. He was probablu buried at nonexistent now on Schmiedebergerstraβe (Sudecka). His vacat has occupied Fleischhacker cantor for over a year. Having considered the strength of Jelenia Góra’s Jewish borough, which in 1884 has reached the highest number of 350 members, it can be said that Hermann Joël’s rabbinate spanned during its golden era ^[25]. Though he has worked in Jelenia Góra for two decades, in local press there was only a token information about his death ^[26]. A sudden desertion of a widow and orphaned children has surely resulted in pushing Hermann Joël toward oblivion.