Falk Cohn was born in Dessau in 1833, the son of a rabbi and teacher at the city's Herzogliche Franzschule. He began the study of the Talmud in his early years. After completing his matriculation, he studied philology and philosophy in Berlin, where he also continued his Talmudic studies. On 23 February 1860 he received the degree of Ph.D. from the University of Leipzig, his thesis titled Philosophischkritische Abhandlung über den Schlußvers des Zweiten Buchs der Psalmen ('Philosophical-critical Treatise on the Concluding Verse of the Second Book of Psalms').[2]
In May 1861 Cohn became a preacher in Köthen, Anhalt-Bernburg. After working from 1862 to 1867 as preacher and religious teacher in Waren, Mecklenburg, he went to Bielitz, Austrian Silesia, as director of the local Jewish communal school. Five years later he became preacher at Oels, holding the position until 1882. In that year he was appointed rabbi in Bonn, where he remained until his death.
Cohn contributed several essays to periodicals, and many of his sermons were printed. Among his significant works are Israelitischen Religionsschulen neben höheren Lehranstalten, Zur Frage über die Arbeitsüberbürdung der Schüler und Schülerinnen Höherer Lehranstalten, and Die Disciplin in den Jüdischen Religionsschulen.
