August Rohling (1839 to 1931): Catholic theologian and Prague professor whose "Der Talmudjude" became a standard work for antisemites

August Rohling was a Catholic priest and professor at Münster, Milwaukee and Prague. His book "Der Talmudjude" of 1871 was often reprinted and according to the Jewish Encyclopedia became a standard work for antisemitic authors. The Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon calls him a prominent representative of Catholic-Christian antisemitism; he drew on a 17th-century forgery of the Talmud and saw evidence even for ritual murder. Josef S. Bloch accused him of forgery, and Rohling withdrew his suit.

Life dates

1839-1931 (about 92 years old)

Country

Germany, Czechia

Institutions

University of Prague

Category

Anti-Judaism

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Rohling was born on 15 February 1839 in Neuenkirchen, ordained priest in 1863 and in 1876 became professor of Old Testament exegesis at the German University of Prague. He died in Salzburg on 23 January 1931.
   Evidence: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Artikel Rohling

   „Neuenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen (BRD), 15. 2. 1839; † Salzburg, 23. 1. 1931“

   Evidence: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Artikel Rohling

   „1876 o. Prof. für Exegese des Alten Testaments an der Dt. Univ. Prag“

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

1. The Lexikon writes that Rohling saw in the Talmud evidence for the immorality of Judaism and even for ritual murder, and drew on a 17th-century forgery of the Talmud.
   Evidence: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Artikel Rohling

   „griff jedoch in seinen Traktaten auf ein Falsifikat des Talmuds aus dem 17. Jh. zurück“

   Evidence: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Artikel Rohling

   „R. war ein prominenter Vertreter des kath.-christlichen Antisemitismus im 19. Jh.“

Response of the Church

1. "Der Talmudjude" appeared in 1871 and according to the Jewish Encyclopedia became a standard work for antisemitic authors and journalists, although it was merely a faulty abstract of Eisenmenger's "Entdecktes Judenthum". The Catholic press quoted it extensively.
   Evidence: Funk & Wagnalls (JewishEncyclopedia.com), Artikel Rohling, August

   „has become a standard work for anti-Semitic authors and journalists“

   Evidence: Funk & Wagnalls (JewishEncyclopedia.com), Artikel Rohling, August

   „The book was very extensively quoted by the Catholic press“

See also

• 23 Mar 1475-20 Jun 1478 · 3 years

  Ritual murder trial of Trent 1475, the Jewish community is tortured and executed after the death of the child Simon

  • Italy
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Torture
  • Persecution

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Funk & Wagnalls (JewishEncyclopedia.com): Rohling, August, in: Jewish Encyclopedia (1905), 1 January 1905. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften: Rohling, August (1839-1931), Theologe und Schriftsteller, in: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.