SPITZER, Moritz (Moshe Shpitzer). Boskowitz, Moravia (then Austria, now Boskovice in Czech) 8.7.1900 — Kfar Saba, Israel 16.11.1982. Jewish Student of Indology in Austria and Germany, later Publisher in Israel. Son of German-speaking Jewish parents, Maximilian Spitzer and his wife Eva, attended Czech gymnasium. After a brief time in Austrian imperial army deserted. Studied Indology at Vienna and Kiel. Ph.D. 1926 Kiel (F. O. Schrader). In 1927-28 he worked as Assistant in Berlin on the Brāhmī fragments now known as the “Spitzer Manuscript”, but seeing the chances for living meagre he soon quitted Indology and worked as journalist, director of a Jewish school, secretary to Martin Buber (1932-34) and in 1934-38 editor of the famous Schocken Publishing House in Berlin, publishing i.al. the collected works of Kafka. When the house was closed he emigrated in early 1939 to Palestina and continued his work as editor, book-designer and publisher in Israel. He also developed Hebrew printing. Married Pepa Hammemann (1903–1989), three children.
The original fragments of the “Spitzer Manuscript” were lost in the war, but are preserved in Spitzer’s copy and finally published by Eli Franco.
Publications: Diss. Begriffsuntersuchungen zum Nyāyabhâṣya. 88 p. Lp. 1927.
– Eli Franco: The Spitzer-Manuscript: the oldest philosophical manuscript in Sanskrit. 1-2. 510 p. Beitr. zur Kultur- und Geistesgesch. Asiens 43 (DWA 323). Vienna 2004.
Sources: Information given by E. Franco; geni.com; German Wikipedia with further references.
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