WähNer, aNdreas gEorg

Wähner, Andreas Georg a Protestant theologian of Germany, was born Feb. 24, 1693, at Rhida. He studied at Helmstadt, especially Oriental languages, from 1710 to 1716; and, as the result of his studies, he published during that time three dissertations: De Mare Asphaltite: — De Regione Ophir: — and De Festo Encceniorum. In 1718 he was called, as professor of the Gymnasium, to Göttingen. When, in 1733, that institution was changed into a university, he was permitted to lecture there, and in 1735 he published his Hebrew Grammar, which is the more remarkable because being the first book which was published by that university. In the same city he studied tie Talmud and the Rabbinical writings, his instructor being a learned Jew by the name of Ginzburger. In 1738 he was advanced to be ordinary professor of Oriental languages. He died Feb. 2i, 1762. His most important work, which he published in two volumes, is his Antiquitates Hebraeorum de Israelitic cv Gentis Origine, Factis, Rebus Sacris, etc. (Gött. 1743), a very learned and instructive work, which may still be used with great advantage by the student. For his other writings, see Fürst, Bibl. Jud. 3, 488 sq.; Doring, Die gelehrten Theologen Deutschlands, 4:609 sq. (B. P.)