CHWOLSON, DANIEL

(1819-1911)

   Russian orientalist of Lithuanian origin. He converted to Christianity in 1855. He was professor of Hebrew, Syriac and Chaldaic philology at the University of St Petersburg and at the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic theological academies in the same city. He defended the Jewish community against anti-Semitic allegations and inter-vened with Russian authorities on their behalf. He published studies of the Sabians, Syriac inscriptions, Jesus' trial, and the Semitic peoples.