Kellermann, Benzion
KELLERMANN, BENZION
KELLERMANN, BENZION (1869–1923), rabbi and author. Born in Gerolzhofen, Bavaria, he served as instructor in religion in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Konitz, and in 1917 was appointed rabbi of the Berlin community. A disciple of Hermann *Cohen, he based his religious philosophy and his rational concept of Judaism as ethical monotheism on the teachings of that German-Jewish philosopher. Kellermann was the author of the following works: Kritische Beitraege zur Enstehungsgeschichte des Christentums (1906); Liberales Judentum (1907); Der wissenschaftliche Idealismus und die Religion (1908); Der ethische Monotheismus der Propheten und seine soziologische Wuerdigung (1917); Das Ideal im System der Kantischen Philosophie (1920); and Die Ethik Spinozas, ueber Gott und Geist (1922). He also translated the major part of the medieval philosophical work Milḥamot Adonai (Die Kaempfe Gottes) by *Levi b. Gershom (introduction and four tractates, with extensive commentary 1914–16). There was much controversy over the translation, due to the fact that some passages contain an inaccurate rendering of the thoughts expressed in the original text (see S. Rubin, in: mgwj, 63 (1919), 71–74).
bibliography:
I. Husik, in: jqr, 7 (1916/17), 553–94; 8 (1917/18), 113–56, 231–68; L. Baeck, in: Juedisches Gemeindeblatt (Berlin, July 6, 1923); Liebert, in: Kant-Studien, 28 (1923), 486–90.
[Bernard Suler]