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Landau, Adolph Yefimovich

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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Landau, Leopold

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Russian journalist and publisher; born at Rossienny, Russia, 1841; died at Berlin July 21, 1902. In 1862 he moved to St. Petersburg, attended the lectures on law at the university, and after two years went to Kovno, where he taught for a year. On his return to St. Petersburg he devoted himself to journalistic work. His first literary efforts consisted of letters in the "Razsvyet," and of articles on Jewish life published in "Syevernaya Pochta," "Biblioteka dlya Tchtenia," and "Sovremennoi Listok." With great enthusiasm Landau devoted himself to the task of making known to the public the life of the Jewish masses and of bringing more light and knowledge to the latter. The time seemed propitious; for there were signs of more freedom for and fuller justice to the Jews. Landau wrote a series of spirited letters in the St. Petersburg "Vyedomosti," and translated a number of sketches by Jellinek on the Hebrew race, and Deutsch's well-known article on the Talmud. In 1871 appeared the first volume of the "Biblioteka" edited by him, and for a period of ten years this publication was the organ of Russo-Jewish literature. Between the years 1871 and 1880 there appeared in its pages contributions from the foremost Jewish writers of the day, such as Levanda, L. O. Gordon, I. G. Orshanski, A. J. Harkavy, C. A. Bershadsky, M. G. Morgulis, and Stasov. Landau possessed the faculty of recognizing ability in young writers, and to these he gave his unstinted support.

During the seventies he published numerous letters and articles in "Dyen" (Odessa), "Molva," and "Razsvyet." In 1881 he issued the first volume of the "Voskhod," a monthly publication, and in 1882 "Nedielnaya Khronika Voskhoda," a weekly. The "Voskhod," like the "Biblioteka," soon numbered among its contributors the leading Russo-Jewish writers. Assisted by Weinberg, Landau worked unceasingly to make it a power for good. Not content with securing contributions from the most talented writers, he wrote much himself. For eighteen years he unswervingly endeavored to secure for the Russian Jew the full benefit of citizenship.

Failing health compelled Landau to relinquish the editorship of the "Voskhod." In 1901 he issued the ninth volume of the "Biblioteka" and the sixth volume of Graetz's "History of the Jews." He died while preparing for publication the tenth volume of the "Biblioteka."