Mahler, Arthur

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MAHLER, ARTHUR

MAHLER, ARTHUR (1871–1916), classical archaeologist and Zionist parliamentarian. Born in Prague, from 1902 Mahler was a professor of classical archaeology at the German University in Prague. He joined the Zionist Movement at the beginning of the 20th century, and in the elections of 1907 he was elected, together with A. Stand and H. Gabel, to the Austrian parliament on a pro-Zionist ticket. Together they established the Jewish Club headed by B. Straucher, which was the first of its kind in parliamentary history. Because of the Austrian government's intrigues and the influence of Jewish assimilationists, however, the pro-Zionist list lost the 1911 elections. Mahler then left Prague and settled in Vienna.

[Getzel Kressel]

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