Ernst Eduard Samuel Fraenkel (16 October 1881 – 2 October 1957) was a German

linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...

who made major contributions to the fields of

Indo-European linguistics Indo-European studies is a field of linguistics and an interdisciplinary field of study dealing with Indo-European languages, both current and extinct. The goal of those engaged in these studies is to amass information about the hypothetical pro ...

and Baltic studies.

Life

Fraenkel was born in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

. He began his studies in 1899 in classical philology, Sanskrit, and Indo-European linguistics with Johannes Schmidt at the

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative o ...

. In 1905 he defended his dissertation on ancient Greek denominal verbs. From 1906 to 1908 he studied with

August Leskien August Leskien (; 8 July 1840 – 20 September 1916) was a German linguist active in the field of comparative linguistics, particularly relating to the Baltic and Slavic languages. Biography Leskien was born in Kiel. He studied philology at the ...

, an expert on the

Baltic languages The Baltic languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family spoken natively by a population of about 4.5 million people mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. Together with the Slavic lang ...

, in Leipzig. He became

Privatdozent ''Privatdozent'' (for men) or ''Privatdozentin'' (for women), abbreviated PD, P.D. or Priv.-Doz., is an academic title conferred at some European universities, especially in German-speaking countries, to someone who holds certain formal qualific ...

at the

Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Kiel University, officially the Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, (german: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, abbreviated CAU, known informally as Christiana Albertina) is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in ...

in 1909, and was promoted to "

außerordentlicher Professor Academic ranks in Germany are the titles, relative importance and power of professors, researchers, and administrative personnel held in academia. Overview Appointment grades * (Pay grade: ''W3'' or ''W2'') * (''W3'') * (''W2'') * (''W2'', ...

" in 1916 and to "

ordentlicher Professor Academic ranks in Germany are the titles, relative importance and power of professors, researchers, and administrative personnel held in academia. Overview Appointment grades * (Pay grade: ''W3'' or ''W2'') * (''W3'') * (''W2'') * (''W2'', ...

" in 1920. Although his parents had converted to Protestantism, his Jewish background prompted his dismissal from the university in 1936 on the basis of the

Nuremberg laws The Nuremberg Laws (german: link=no, Nürnberger Gesetze, ) were antisemitic and racist laws that were enacted in Nazi Germany on 15 September 1935, at a special meeting of the Reichstag convened during the annual Nuremberg Rally of th ...

, and he was forbidden to publish scholarly works in Nazi Germany. From 1945 to 1954 he led the Seminar für vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft in Hamburg, where he died.

Works

* ''Geschichte der griechischen Nomina agentis auf -ter -tor -tes (-t)'', I, II, Trübner, Straßburg, 1910-1920; * ''Syntax der litauischen Kasus'', 1928; * ''Die baltischen Sprachen'', Carl Winter, Heidelberg, 1950; * ''Litauisches etymologisches Wörterbuch'', 2 Bde., Carl Winter, Heidelberg/

Göttingen Göttingen (, , ; nds, Chöttingen) is a college town, university city in Lower Saxony, central Germany, the Capital (political), capital of Göttingen (district), the eponymous district. The River Leine runs through it. At the end of 2019, t ...

, 1962-1965

;

External links

* * http://www.lituanus.org/1988/88_4_01.htm * http://www.euro-languages.net/lithuania/?action=LinkingText&id=112 * Balticists Linguists from Germany Researchers of Lithuanian language Scientists from Berlin 1881 births 1957 deaths 19th-century German Jews Holocaust survivors 20th-century linguists {{Germany-linguist-stub