Ernest David Klein, (July 26, 1899, Szatmárnémeti – February 4, 1983, Ottawa, Canada) was a Hungarian-born Romanian-Canadian linguist, author, and rabbi. Early life and education Klein was born to father Yitzchok (Ignac) and mother Sarah Rachel (Roza) Klein (née Friedrich) on July 26, 1899. in Szatmárnémeti (also known as Szatmar), in Partium, a region of Kingdom of Hungary (now Satu Mare, Romania. He had three sisters. Klein's father was a respected scholar known for his brilliance. He was rabbi of the Jewish Status Quo Community in Marosvásárhely (now Târgu Mureș, Romania) and author of over 20 books on rabbinical subjects, including the following (all were printed in Satu Mare): Hebrew Torah Journal Ohel Yitzchok (1903–1914) Hebrew Book Zichron L'Yisroel (1912) Hebrew Torah Journal Sefer Hamagid (1928–1934) Hebrew Torah Journal Magid Yeruchem (1925–1930) Hebrew Book Kol Ha'chatan (1937) Klein's mother also had rabbinical lineage. She was one of the daughters of Chaim (Jakob) Friedrich who was rabbi of the orthodox community in Turc, Ugocsa County, Kingdom of Hungary (now part of Turț, Satu Mare County, Romania). From early on in Klein's childhood, his greatness was already noted. At the young age of nine years, Klein was able to recite the entire Book of Psalms by heart. As a youth in Hungary, Klein spent his free time in between classes learning new languages. Remarkably, at the age of 15, Klein taught himself English using English language textbooks. Klein had a great talent in learning languages. In an interview by The Canadian Jewish News (August 1, 1975), Klein recalls traveling from his birthplace Satu Mare, Romania to Austria, a little uneasy at the prospect of studying in a foreign country where he did not know the language. Klein taught himself German during the few days journey, and by the end of the year he was the best pupil in his class. Over the years Klein acquired more than 40 languages. Klein passed his exams to become a rabbi in 1920 when he was 21 years old. Klein studied languages, philology and exact philosophy at the University of Budapest and the University of Vienna; he received his Doctorate of Philosophy from the latter in 1925. Fifty years later, in 1975 at a ceremony held in Canada by the Austrian Consulate, Klein was awarded the "Golden Ph.D." on his promotion to Doctorate of Philosophy by the University of Vienna. Rabbinical career and deportation to Auschwitz