Franz Rosenzweig, Adele Alsberg Rosenzweig, and the German-Jewish Family*

Abstract

The Jewish family was foundational to philosopher and theologian Franz Rosenzweig’s understanding of Jewish life. This article examines his view of the Jewish family in the light of two memoirs, only recently translated into English, written by his mother, Adele Alsberg Rosenzweig, with whom he had a very close yet contentious relationship. The memoirs illustrate the historical contexts of both Adele’s and Franz’s generations, as well as the personal, familial contexts in which Franz was raised, and are thus a good starting point from which to examine the significance of the Jewish family in his experience and thought.