PINSON, KOPPEL S.

PINSON, KOPPEL S. (1904–1961), U.S. historian. Born in Lithuania, Pinson was taken to the U.S. in 1907. He lectured at the New School for Social Research from 1934 to 1937, when he went to Queens College, N.Y., becoming professor of history in 1950. He was also history editor of the Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences (1929–35), and an editor of Jewish Social Studies (1938–61). In 1945–46, he was director of education and culture, Jewish Displaced Persons in Germany and Austria, United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Association. Pinson's principal scholarly interests embraced modern European history, with special emphasis on nationalism and modern Germany, and recent Jewish history. His contributions to general history were Pietism as a Factor in the Rise of German Nationalism (1934); A Bibliographical Introduction to Nationalism (1935); and Modern Germany, Its History and Civilization (1954). In Jewish studies, he edited a number of important books: Essays on Anti-Semitism (19462); Yivo Annual of Jewish Social Science, vols. 59 (1950–54); and notably Nationalism and History (1958), which made available in English Simon Dubnow's classic, Essays on Old and New Judaism. Pinson analyzed Dubnow's national theories and appraised his role as historian. Pinson was actively involved in the work of the yivo Institute for Jewish Research. He was also chairman of the modern Jewish history committee of the Jewish Publication Society of America. (Oscar Isaiah Janowsky)