Auerbach, ow'er-bak, Berthold (1812-1882), a German novelist and poet. He was of Hebrew parentage and was born at Nordstetten, Wurtemberg. He began writing while a student at Heidelberg, but won little attention until some years later, when he published Village Tales of the Black Forest, which made him famous. These stories have been translated into nearly all European languages. On the Heights is Auerbach's masterpiece. Brigitta is also a popular story.