Tänzer, Arnold, 1871-1937

Aron Tänzer was born in 1871 in Pressburg, Hungary (now Bratislava, Slovakia) to Heinrich and Marie Tänzer née Schlesinger. He began religious study at a very early age, and attended school in Pressburg. In 1885 he contined his education at the rabbinical college in Pressburg before completing his academic studies in universities in Berlin and Bern. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1895, he spent the next year traveling. In 1896 he married his first wife, Rosa.

From December 1896 until February 1905 Tänzer was rabbi for the towns of Hohenems (Vorarlberg) in Austria, then served until 1907 as rabbi in Merano, in the southern Tirol area of Italy. In September 1907 he became rabbi of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg. In 1912 his wife died; the next year he was married for the second time, to a woman named Bertha. While in Göppingen, Tänzer became increasingly interested in advocating the establishment and support of a public library for the city. He assisted in the creation and development of this institution, which was established in 1911, and also assisted in its administration.

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