1. Nobility of the World
Volune VIII - Jewish
The History and Register of the
Noble Families of Jewish Ancestry
Two related publications, the Semi-Gotha, or Historisch-genealoges-
Taschenbuch des gesamted Adels jehuidäischen Ursprunges of 1912 and
1913, and the Semigothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch
aristokratisch-jüdischer heiraten of 1914, attempted a comprehensive
survey of those families of Jewish ancestry who were members of the
titled European nobility (and a handful of non-European royalty or
nobility). These were published at a time when the prestige and influence
of European Jewry was at its highest and represented pride in their
achievements since Jewish emancipation. Unhappily, these rare
publications were later to be used by the nazis to identify families and
individuals for extermination and many copies of these publications
were destroyed both by nazi fanatics and by those Jewish families who
had once been proud to have been included.
2. Birth dates were indicated with the hexagonal Star of David, while a
Jewish tomb stone symbol indicated who died in the Jewish faith, and a
Cross those who died in the Christian faith. Marriage dates were
indicated with two bold rings interlocking if husband and wife both had
Jewish blood, while a bold ring with an outline ring indicated whether
only one of the partners was of Jewish ancestry. Two opposite pointing
horizontal arrows indicated divorce, reflecting a Biblical passage "if thou
take the right hand, then I will go to the left". The genealogical section of
the Semi-Gotha was preceded by a page with the swastika symbol - which
meant something very different in 1913-14 and whose terrible
implications were as yet unimaginable. The frontispiece illustration of
the 1913 edition was a portrait of Benjamin Disraeli, 1st (and last) Earl of
Beaconsfield.
The List of High European Jewish Nobility
3. The Noble Families of Austria
Because of the Toleranzpatent, which was decreed in 1782 by Emperor
Joseph II, Jewish bankers and later entrepreneurs and industrialists
could also be ennobled for their services and loyalty. Jews who were
elevated into the aristocracy were allowed to keep their religion.
Although the elevation into the aristocracy meant recognition for the
work and services and a rise in social status, it could not hide the fact
that Jews were for the most part still only being "tolerated". Jews could
not freely choose the place and duration of their stay and had to
regularly ask for permission from the authorities. This placed a huge
burden on Jewish families. If the head of the family died, all his relatives
had to leave the city. The right to purchase real estate was forbidden to
Jews, even if they belonged to the nobility. This regulation stayed in place
until 1860, when it was abolished by Emperor Franz Joseph I and Jewish
citizens were given equal rights. But almost a century before the banker
and protector of arts, Karl Wetzler [or Wetzlar] von Plankenstern was
created a Freiherr by Empress Maria Theresia, he converted to
Catholicism.
Despite these difficulties, by 1821 there were at least nine ennobled
Jewish families living in Vienna. Their elevation was due to their
industrial and economic contributions. Some of the very wealthy
included the Rothschilds, Arnstein, Eskeles, Gomperz, Kuffner, Lieben,
4. Auspitz, Schey von Koromla, Todesco and Wertheimstein, von Wiernes
families. For example, in the case of the Rothschilds and Todescos, the
secret of their personal economic success was their quick ability to adjust
and innovate to the changing global economic situation. They founded
banks that financed companies and infrastructure projects in a time of
great economic and industrial growth in the late 19th century. Their
contributions made it possible for Austria-Hungary to keep up with the
international economic developments. The elevation into nobility also
hastened the process of assimilation of Jewish families into the higher
society. Some converted to Christianity in order to become fully
accepted, but many kept their Jewish religion.
Arnstein, Arnsteiner
Auspitz
Elkan von Elkansberg (later Bavaria)
von Ephrussi
Eskeles
Ritter von Fischer
Frydman, Ritter von Prawy (cf.Marcel Prawy)
Goldschmidt
Gomperz
Haber von Lindsberg
von Heine-Geldern, Heine von Geldern (Freiherr &
Baron, Gustav, Robert)
Henikstein (Hönigstein)
Hofmann von Hofmannsthal
Joel von Joelson
Lieben
von Löwenthal
Katzellenbourg
Marx von Marxburg
von Mises
o Ludwig von Mises, economist
o Richard von Mises
von Motesiczky
Morpurgo
Oppenheim
Parente
Porges von Portheim
Rothschild banking family of Austria
Seligmann
Sonnenfels (Christian)
Todesco
Wartenegg von Wertheimstein
o Joseph von Wertheimstein
o Hermann von Wertheimstein
Weil von Weilen
Wittgenstein of Vienna (Christian)
o Paul Wittgenstein
o Ludwig Wittgenstein
Zemlinsky
5. The Noble Families of Belgium
Baron Lambert
Baron Jacques Brotchi(1)
Baron Julien Klener(2)
(1) Une vingtaine de personalités honorées par le roi,(in french) Le Vif l'
Express, 18 Novembre 2008 (2) Adellijke Gunsten, Ministerie
Buitenlandse Zaken, 27/04/2007 (in Dutch)
The Noble Families of Britiain
the House of d'Avigdor-Goldsmid
Earl of Beaconsfield (Christian)
o Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield(Converted Out),
British Prime Minister (1804-1881)
the House of Mocatta
the House of Viscount Bearsted
Alexander Bernstein, Baron Bernstein of Craigweil
Joseph Stone, Baron Stone
Arnold Silverstone, Baron Ashdown
the House of Montefiore
o Moses Haim Montefiore (1784-1885) financier, stockbroker,
philanthropist and Sheriff of London.
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
Julia Neuberger, Baroness Neuberger, rabbanith
Rothschild banking family of England
Mark Schreiber, Lord Marlesford
the House of Baron Swaythling, same pedigree with Herbert
Samuel
Sydney Stern, Baron Wandsworth
Michael Levy, Baron Levy
the House of Sassoon
Andrew Stone, Baron Stone of Blackheath
Benjamin Mancroft, 3rd Baron Mancroft
Marquess of Reading - Rufus-Isaacs family
The Czech Noble Families
Jacob Bassevi
The Noble Families of France
d'Avigdor
Lafitte
The Barons de Fould-Springer
Pardes
Rothschild banking family of France
Rothschild of Bordeaux (vinery)
Reinach
6. The Noble Families of Germany
Bleichroder
Freimut Duve
von Liebermann-Schwarzschild
von Kaullas
von Oppenheim
Maurice de Hirsch of Bavarian "Von Hirsch Auf Gereuth" family.
von Redé
Rothschild banking family of Germany
Rotbert
von Schwarzau (originally de Suasso)
The Noble Families of Hungary
Fischer
Goldberger de Buda
Hevesy von Bischitz
Hatvany-Deutsch
Hollitscher
von Lieben
Lukács (later became Christian)
von Neumann
Polanyi
von Rosenberg
Ronai (Baron Herman Weinberger von Rόna)
Szitányi Ullmann
von Wertheimstein
Zuckerkandl
The Noble Families of Italy
Baron Lumbroso, said to be from Egyptian-Jewish origin
del Castelo
Paradiso
von Rezzori
Rothschild banking family of Naples
Tedesco
The Noble Families of Russian
Günzburg also Gunzbourg
o
Baron Joseph Günzburg, Osip Gintsburg, or Iosif-Evzel
Gabrielovich Gintsburg (1812, Vitebsk - 1878,Paris),
Industrialist
Baron Horace Günzburg, Goratsiy Evzelevich
Gintsburg, Naftali-Gerts Evzelevich
Ginstsburg (1833,Zvenigorodka, Kiev province - 1909,
St. Petersburg), Financier, Industrialist
7. Baron Alexander Günzburg, Aleksandr Goratsievich
Gintsburg (1863, Paris - 1948, Switzerland)
Baron David Goratsiyevich Günzburg (Барон Давид
Горациевич Гинцбург David Goratsievich Gintsburg,
July 5, 1857, Kamenetz-Podolsk - December 22,
1910, St. Petersburg) was
a Russianorientalist and Jewish communal
leader. Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg, (1904-1981)
socialite, editor, actor, producer.
Dobrowolski Counts (later Dobrow), Russian and Polish family
Gantsmakher Barons
Khaykin
The Noble Families of Spain
Bargallo
Cadena
Carvajal
Cohen
Koplowitz
Safira
Surel