Zionist library for boys and girls · 1908-01-01 · 4 · p. Seite 1

-1- October, 11 MOSES HBSS. (1812 - 1875 J Moses Hess was born in Bonn, Germany, In January - 1812* His father, a merchant, was a very othodox Jew and tries to educate him In an orthodox'Jewish way. Hess was greatly influenced by his grandfather with whom he lived for some time, and who was a pious Jew, Hess loved him dearly and was very much impressed by him. He learned from him the love for his people. When Hess grew up and became a student in the University of Bonn, he turned his back on the Jewish education of his fatherTs house, and tried to find his right place amongst the developing movements and Ideas of his time. The first half of the 19th Century was a continuous struggle between different philosophies and different political movements. Great philosophers, such as Hegel, Spinoza, and Feuerbach, stirred all thinking men to change their whole outlook of life by the new ideas which they threw into the world. These ideas were.not only read, but were heatedly discussed and fought for, Hess lived in a time of great unrest. Germany was fighting for its national freedom, struggling to free itself from foreign rule (-Uapolcon) The nationalists were fighting for a united Germany, the Liberals for the complete overthrow of the monarchies and for a constitutional government. At the same time, with the industrialisation of Germany a working class was rising, that realised the injustice of its social position, and fought for a change in the distribution of wealth. Communism and Socialism under its great leaders ICarl Marx and Friedrich Engels showed the way towards its achievement. The centre for all these ideas and political movements was in the Universities. Hess at that time a student - was verir much influenced by them and saw his