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Otto Rubensohn

1867 – 1964

German-Jewish classical archaeologist

Classical archaeologistCurator Secondary school teacher
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About Otto Rubensohn

Lived 1867 – 1964 (aged 96). Otto Rubensohn was a German classical archaeologist, curator, secondary school teacher, art historian, archaeologist and teacher.

Otto Rubensohn (24 November 1867, Kassel – 9 August 1964, Höchenschwand) was a German-Jewish classical archaeologist.

He received his education at the Universities of Berlin and Strasbourg, Under the supervision of Adolf Michaelis, he earned his doctorate in 1892 with the thesis "". In 1897–1899 he was associated with the German Archaeological Institute at Athens, and performed excavations of the sanctuaries of Apollo and Asclepius on the island of Paros.

From 1901 to 1907, on behalf of the Prussian Royal Museums of Berlin and the , he was involved in a number of archaeological excavations in Egypt, which built major parts of the Berlin Papyrus Collection. In 1902–1905 he conducted a series of significant excavations of the necropolis at Abusir el-Meleq. While in Egypt, he also performed excavatory work at Fayum, at Ashmunein and on the island of Elephantine, where he uncovered numerous Aramaic papyri scrolls.

He was later named director of the recently established Pelizaeus Museum in Hildesheim. From 1915 to 1932 he worked as a secondary school teacher in Berlin. In 1939, he emigrated to Switzerland in order to escape Nazi persecution. There he settled in Basel, and at the age of 94 published "", considered to be his most important written effort.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Classical archaeologist, curator, secondary school teacher, art historian, archaeologist, teacher
Nationality
Education
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, University of Strasbourg
Employers
Imperial German Army, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Gymnasium, Lessing-Gymnasium, Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum
Awards
Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

People in Otto Rubensohn's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Otto Rubensohn's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Otto Rubensohn?

German-Jewish classical archaeologist (1867–1964)

When was Otto Rubensohn born?

Otto Rubensohn was born on 24 November 1867 in Kassel.

When did Otto Rubensohn die?

Otto Rubensohn died on 9 August 1964 in Höchenschwand.

What was Otto Rubensohn's occupation?

Otto Rubensohn was a classical archaeologist, curator, secondary school teacher, art historian, archaeologist and teacher.

What nationality was Otto Rubensohn?

Otto Rubensohn was German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Otto Rubensohn

· Wikidata: Q1309598

· DBpedia: Otto Rubensohn

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Otto Rubensohn. https://biography.guide/otto-rubensohn/

MLA: "Otto Rubensohn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/otto-rubensohn/.

Chicago: "Otto Rubensohn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/otto-rubensohn/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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