Rabbi Dr. Abraham Adolf Schmiedl

Adolf Schmiedl (1821–1913) distinguished himself as a "modern" rabbi; toward the end of the 19th century he moved to Vienna and became one of the leading rabbis and scholars in the city, known for his support for reformist ideas and practices. 

Among his writings:

Sansinnim: Betrachtungen über die fünf Bücher Mosis nach Ordnung der Wochenabschnitte - a volume of homilies on the Pentateuch. The author, R. Dr. Adolf Schmiedl was an Austrian rabbi and scholar; born at Prossnitz, Moravia, Jan. 26, 1821. He held the office of rabbi at Gewitsch, Moravia, from 1846 to 1849, during which time he contributed to the journals "Kokebe Yiẓḥaḳ" and "Der Orient." In 1849 he was called as "Landesrabbiner" to Teschen, Austrian Silesia, where he officiated until 1852. Leaving Teschen, he held successively the rabbinates of Bielitz, Prossnitz, Sechshaus (1869-94; now a part of Vienna), and Leopoldstadt, the second district of Vienna, where he still officiated in 1905.

Besides numerous contributions to periodical literature, Schmiedl has written:

"Sansinim," homilies on the Pentateuch (Prague, 1859 and 1885);

"Studien zur Jüdisch-Arabischen Religionsphilosophie" (Vienna, 1869); "Saadia Alfajumi und die Negativen Vorzüge Seiner Religionsphilosophie" (ib. 1870);

"Die Lehre vom Kampf ums Recht im Verhältniss zum Judenthume und dem Aeltesten Christenthum" (ib. 1875).