Bernhard Duhm

Who was Bernhard Duhm?

Bernhard Lauardus Duhm was a German Lutheran theologian born in Bingum, today part of Leer, East Frisia.

He studied theology at the University of Göttingen, where he had as instructors Albrecht Ritschl, Heinrich Ewald and Julius Wellhausen, with the latter becoming a good friend and colleague to Duhm. In 1873 he became a lecturer at Göttingen and subsequently an associate professor of Old Testament studies. In 1888 he relocated to the University of Basel, where he was one of the more influential Old Testament scholars of his time.

Duhm is remembered for his exegetical work on the prophets of the Old Testament, particularly studies dealing with the complexities of the Books of Jeremiah and Isaiah. He pioneered the theory of multiple authors of the book of Isaiah. His commentary outlined the structure and content of Isaiah chapters 1-39. Duhm in the same commentary provides an in-depth analysis of the "Deuterojesaja", and the so-called "Tritojesaja".

He was the father of three sons, Hans Dietrich and Andreas, all of whom were professional chess players. Bernhard Duhm died in Basel on November 1, 1928 as the result of car accident.