(Jewish Daily Bulletin)
Dr. Paul Haupt, W. W. Spence professor of the Semitic languages, director of the Oriental Seminary at the Johns Hopkins University and one of the foremost Bible critics, died Wednesday, Dec. 15,at the Johns Hopkins Hospital after an illness of ten days. Dr. Haupt was not a Jew.
Recognized as one of the leading philologists of the world and noted as a Semitic scholar, Dr. Haupt had been connected with the Hopkins faculty for 43 years. Among his students were many who later attained prominence in many walks of life. He was born at Gorlitz, Germany, November 25, 1858.
Until very recently Dr. Haupt returned to Europe every summer to continue his studies of Biblical events. In his more than 600 works he is considered to have made many important contributions to the ancient history of the Jewish people. He did extensive research work in the district where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are supposed to have stood and was among the first to voice the opinion that the ancient cities had been destroyed by earthquakes and not by miracles. He also stated the belief that the Christian tradition of Calvary was wrong.
In a commemoration of his fortieth anniversary as a teacher at Johns Hopkins there was dedicated to him a book of Oriental studies to which more than forty celebrated scholars contributed. The book was edited by the late Dr. Aaron Ember, then associate professor of Semitic languages at Hopkins, and Dr. Cyrus Adler, president of Dropsie College, Philadelphia.
In 1898 Dr. Haupt edited the polychrome Bible. His works brought him honors from many universities and scientific societies and orders.
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