MAKS GRINBOYM (MAX GRÜNBAUM)

MAKS GRINBOYM (MAX GRÜNBAUM) (July 15, 1817-December 11, 1898)

            He was an Orientalist and a researcher into languages and folklore, born in Seligenstadt, Germany.  He studied philosophy and philology at the Universities of Giessen and Bonn, and he received his doctoral degree.  He did a great deal of research into old Yiddish literature.  His most important work in this area was Jüdisch-deutsche Chrestomatie (Leipzig: Brockhaus, 1882), 587 pp.  In this work he brought together large fragments of old Yiddish literature, such as Tanakh translations, Musar texts, prayer books, Maḥzorim, penitential prayers mostly for women, glossaries, and other such works, as well as etymological explanations for many Yiddish words.  His other works are of interest to Yiddishists: Die Jüddisch-deutsche Literatur in Deutschland, Polen und Amerika (Trier, 1894); Mischsprachen un Sprachmischungen (Berlin, 1885); Neue Beiträge zur semitischen Sagenkunde (Leiden, 1893); Jüdisch-Spanische Chrestomathie (Frankfurt, 1896).  He died in Munich.

Source: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 1.

Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 177.