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COLLECTION Identifier: HUGB W645.xx

Harry A. Wolfson writings and publications

Overview

Harry Austryn Wolfson (1887-1974), a historian of philosophy, was the Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy at Harvard University. The writings, publications, and biographical materials in this collection document Harry A. Wolfson's contributions to the study of medieval philosophy in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam from 1907 to 1979.

Dates

  • Creation: 1907-1979

Researcher access

Open for research.

Extent

4.77 cubic feet (11 document boxes, 1 volume, 1 record carton)

The writings and publications in this collection, including books, reprints, and articles, document Harry A. Wolfson's contributions to the study of medieval philosophy in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The collection also contains Leo W. Schwartz's biography of Wolfson, Wolfson of Harvard: Portrait of a Scholar, book reviews of Wolfson's works, and articles and news clippings about Wolfson.

Biographical note on Harry A. Wolfson

Harry Austryn Wolfson (1887-1974), a historian of philosophy, was the Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy and the Harvard College Library Honorary Curator of Hebraica and Judaica at Harvard University. His work focused on the study of medieval philosophy in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. After studying at Harvard University (AB 1911, MA 1912, PhD 1915), Wolfson was appointed an instructor in the Department of Hebrew Language and Literature. In 1925, Wolfson became a professor of Hebrew literature and philosophy, and from 1925 to 1958, the first Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy. Wolfson was the first professor in any American university to occupy a chair devoted solely to Jewish studies.

Wolfson wrote and edited more than 150 books and articles, primarily on Jewish, Christian, and Islamic philosophy. His research was devoted to an examination of the structure and growth of philosophy. Best known for his work on the Jewish philosopher Philo Judeas, Wolfson also examined the philosophers Hasdai Crescas, Maimonides, Averroes, Baruch Spinoza, the Kalam, the Church Fathers, and the foundations of Western religion.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into five series:

  1. Books by Harry A. Wolfson, [circa 1929-1979] (HUGB W645.60)
  2. Reprints by Harry A. Wolfson, 1907-1971 (HUGB W645.72)
  3. Wolfson of Harvard: Portrait of a Scholar, 1978 (HUGB W645.80)
  4. Reviews of Wolfson's works and biographical materials, [circa 1914, 1926-1974] (HUGB W645.85)
  5. Newspaper clippings about Wolfson and Hebrew subjects, [circa 1910-1974] (HUGB W645.95)

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information for this collection is unavailable.

Related Material

In the Harvard University Archives

  1. Research materials collected by Henry D. Shapiro for a biography of Harry A. Wolfson, [circa 1904-2003] (HUM 401) https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/hua37021/catalog
  2. Papers of Harry A. Wolfson, circa 1880s, 1900-1977 (HUGFP 58.xx).
  3. Photographs of Harry Austryn Wolfson are contained in the Harvard University Archives Photograph Collection: Portraits, approximately 1852-approximately 2004 (HUP): https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/hua04006/catalog

Processing Information

This finding aid was created in April 2021 by Dominic P. Grandinetti.

Information for this finding aid was assembled from legacy paper inventories, reference sources, and container management data. The collection was not re-examined.

Dates and titles supplied by the archivist appear in brackets.

Alma ID

99155365519803941

Title
Wolfson, Harry Austryn, 1887-1974. Harry A. Wolfson writings and publications, 1907-1979: an inventory
Description rules
dacs
Language of description
und
EAD ID
hua27021

Repository Details

Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository

Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.

Contact:
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