Geis, Robert Raphael

Robert Raphael Geis was born in Frankfurt am Main on July 4, 1906 to Moritz Geis and his wife Sittah née Stern, a well-to-do assimilated couple. He attended grammar school ( Gymnasium ) in Frankfurt am Main from 1916 to 1925. He became friends with the children of the liberal rabbi, Ceasar Seligmann, and visited his household. During his studies, Robert Raphael Geis joined the local Jewish youth socialist association.

After his graduation Robert Raphael Geis decided to continue his studies at the University of Berlin where he studied modern history, and at the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums . This was against the will of his father who foresaw a career in banking for his son. He studied with Friedrich Meinecke at the University of Berlin, and attended the classes of Ismar Elbogen, Harry Torzcyner, and Julius Guttmann at the Hochschule . In 1926-1927 he studied at the University in Breslau (then Germany; now Wrocaw, Poland) with Johannes Ziekursch and at the Jüdisch-Theologisches Seminar . After Johannes Ziekursch left Breslau for the University of Cologne (Universität Köln), Robert Raphael Geis followed him and finished his studies completing his dissertation Der Sturz des Reichskanzlers Caprivi (The Fall of Chancellor Caprivi) in 1930. His rabbinic studies were concluded in 1932 by a rabbinical examination overseen by Ismar Elbogen, Leo Baeck, Julius Guttmann, Harry Torzyner, and Chanoch Albeck. The rabbinical ordination allowed Robert Raphael Geis to function as a rabbi and Religion teacher.

...