Hugo Fuchs was born on January 3, 1878 in Stadtlengsfeld, Thuringia, Germany. He studied philology and history at the universities of Berlin and Leipzig, receiving his doctorate from the University of Leipzig in 1907. Fuchs continued his studies at the Lehranstalt für die Wissenschaft des Judentums (Institute for the Study of Judaism).
In 1907 Fuchs became the rabbi of Chemnitz, a position he would hold until 1938. He also headed the Zentralstelle für jüdische Wohlfahrtspflege (Central Agency for Jewish Welfare) in Chemnitz. Fuchs was a liberal rabbi, and influenced by theologians like Abraham Geiger. His interest in the subject of Jewish resettlement in Palestine was evidenced by his support of the activities of organizations such as Keren Hayesod, a fundraising organization for Palestine, and the Central-Verein deutscher Staatsbürger jüdischen Glauben s (Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith). A prolific writer, Fuchs's articles on various aspects of Judaism and Jewish life often appeared in various newspapers. Among these were Liberales Judentum, the Jüdisch-liberale Zeitung, the Israelitisches Familienblatt, and others. He also wrote the Lehrbuch der jüdischen Geschichte, first published in 1922, which gave an overview of the history of the Jewish people and their religion.
After Kristallnacht, during which the Chemnitz Synagogue was destroyed, Hugo Fuchs was arrested and sent to a concentration camp. In 1939 he was permitted to leave Germany, and emigrated to Argentina. He led the Jewish community of Buenos Aires until his death in 1949.
From the guide to the Hugo Fuchs Collection, 1902-1943, bulk 1921-1931, (Leo Baeck Institute)
