Moser, Moses
MOSER, MOSES
MOSER, MOSES (1796–1838), banker and a founder of the *Verein fuer Kultur und Wissenschaft des Judentums. An employee (and eventual partner) in the firm of Moses Friedlaender (son of David *Friedlaender), he attended philosophical lectures at Berlin University although he had no formal secondary education. There he met Eduard *Gans, Leopold *Zunz, and other young Jewish intellectuals, with whom he eventually founded the Verein (Nov. 7, 1819). Moser, who exerted a stabilizing and moderating influence within the Verein, was its treasurer (1821–22) and secretary (Nov. 1819; 1822–23). He also gave five lectures and contributed three articles. After the dissolution of the Verein, Moser, the one member esteemed by all, maintained his ties with L. Zunz, E. Wohlwill, and others. However, his most valued and most famous friend was Heinrich *Heine, who in his letters expressed his affection and esteem for Moser. Despite some setbacks the friendship endured. In 1819 Moser and some colleagues joined the patrician society, Gesellschaft der Freunde (founded in 1792 by I. Euchel and J. Mendelssohn), in the vain hope of subverting it from within. Moser eventually became its president (1836–38).
bibliography:
H.G. Reissner, Eduard Gans (Ger., 1965), index; idem, in: ylbi, 2 (1957), 189–90; A. Friedlaender, ibid., 11 (1966), 269–99; N.N. Glatzer (ed.), L. Zunz (Ger., 1964), index; Briefe von H. Heine an seinen Freund M. Moser (1862).