FRIES, JAKOB FRIEDRICH:

Christian writer against the Jews; born at Barby, Saxony, Aug. 23, 1773; died at Jena Aug. 10, 1843. In 1801 Fries lectured on philosophy at the University of Jena, and in 1805 was appointed professor of philosophy, and in 1812 of physics, at Heidelberg. Here his anti-Semitic opinions began to color his utterances; and when, in 1816, he returned as professor to Jena, he published, first in the "Heidelberger "Jahrbücher" (1816, pp. 241-264) and afterward in book form, his "Ueber die Gefährdung des Wohlstandes und Charakters der Deutschen Durch die Juden," a review of two pamphlets by RÜHS against the Jews. This review, of which Goethe speaks with a certain delight, is very rude in its tone, recommending (p. 23) the princes to deal with the Jews as Pharaoh had done.

Bibliography:
  • Jost, Neuere Gesch. i. 51, Allg. Zeit. des Jud. 1839, p. 352; 1900, p. 622;
  • Grätz, Gesch. xi. 313.
D. A. M. F.
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