Freytag, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich

Freytag, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich a German theologian and scholar, was born at Luneburg, September 19, 1788, and educated in philology and theology at the University of Gottingen. From 1811 to 1813 he acted as theological tutor there, then went to Konigsberg as sub-librarian; in 1815 became a chaplain in the Prussian army, in which capacity he visited Paris; afterwards resigned his chaplaincy, and remained in Paris to prosecute his Oriental studies under De Sacy. In 1819 he was appointed professor of Oriental languages at Bonn, and continued in that position until his death, November 16, 1861. Besides publishing a compendium of Hebrew grammar (Kurzgefasste Grammatik der hebraischen Sprache, 1835), and a treatise on Arabic versification (Darstellung der Arabischen Verskunst, 1838), Freytag edited two volumes of Arabic songs (Hamasae Carmina, 1828-52), and three of Arabic proverbs (Arabum Proverbia, 1838-43). His principal work, however, was his Lexicon Arabico-Latinum (1830-37), which rapidly superseded the earlier lexicons. See Encyclop. Brit. 9th ed. s.v.