The morning news., 1897-08-29
HOUSE OF ROTHSCHILD.
HOW IT GREW IN FRANKIE ORT.
The Financial Representative of Sa-
tiOns a.1d MOnarchs - Its Members
Work In Harmony, IntermRrIy
and Grow IN Wealth.


of Frankfort owes its importance to the
Jews. and chiefly to the Rothschild fam
ily 1t is one of the finest cities in Igu-
rope, and is the richest city in the worNd
for its population, although of late BeI-
lin has taken considerable business away
and has become the center of interna-
tional banking relations. There are still
Ia banks in Frankfort, TO a p2pulation
of 2SS coo, which is one bank to ev>>ry l,SOO
persons. Some of the banks have ~ cap
ital of 100000 or SOO00,Go marks. Sc veral
have over 50,OOO0OO marks. Institas ions
| like the Rothschilds have a capital that
is practically unlimited. No one knows
| the amount
The Jews have obtained all this wealth.
| and prominence in spite of ostracism, per-
secution and restrictions of many kinds.
When Anselm Rothschild was born in
Frankfort, what was known as the Juden-
| gasse was separated from the rest of the
| city by high walls and heavy gates, Whlch
were shut at nightfall a2d kept closed
until sunrise. On Sundays tney were new
| er opened. Goethe who was a native Of
Frankfort, gives a graphic description OF
| the Judengasse, with its filth and squalor
and stenches to which the nerves of his in
habitants had been deadened by long Ia
| miliarity with the noisome atmosphere
The walls of the Juden~
gasse were destroyed by Kleb-
ers army in 1796. In 1,N2 the
whole district was condemned as 2 nui-
sance by the sanitary authorities, and
cleared out, except a single row of Csd-
fashioned houses, which date from the
fifteenth century, and were the homes OF
the ancestors of the richest and most in
fluential citizens of Frankfort.
The Jewish population of the city is now
from 5000 to 10000, about 10 per cent. of
the total. They monopolize the banking
business, they own and occupy the most
sumptuous residences, they have the
choicest boxes at the opera; their horses
and carriages are the smartest to be seen
in the parks and boulevards, and they buy
the most costly pictures. They have
society of their own, which is entirely in
different to the jealousy and !scorn of the
poorer portion of the population who pro-
fess the Christian faith.
The ancestors of the Frankfort Jews
came from Palestine, Turkey and Spain to
| escape persecution in the thirteenth, four
teenth and fifteenth centuries, and be-
| came the serfs of the emperor of Ger
many, who accorded them protection in
| exchange for a fixed tribute which went
| into his private purse. In 1349 Charles
| ", being pressed for funds, mOrtgaged
his Jews to the municipality of Frankfort
| for coo The sum was never repaid,
and thus the inhabitants of the Juden-
| gasse passed under the control of the city
council, which selected a swampy and un-
healthful spot on the margin of the town,
where they were obliged to reside and eX-
acted from them certain portion of their
| earnings, or sold their labor at so much
month The Jews who controlled their
| own time and talent paid dearly for that
| privilege, but were shrewd enough TO make
| a profit, and advance themselves slowly
| but surely. They were not allowed to use
ncda IL h14f l1ad froxr
with cattle and carts In the middle of the
| street. They were compelled to wear
| distinctive dress. Every male Jew had
| patch of yellow cloth upon his breast AMI
| every woman wore blue and white stripes.
! They were allowed only one name.
| The man who lived in No. % Judengasse,
which was known as 1.-The house of the
red shield" because of a eign which the
Occunant placed over its door. was called
| Anselm.
The original Anselm was a dealer in
| old coins and curiosities. He married and
| had a boy who was called Mayer Anselm
in order to distinguish him from his faith
er. He was sent to a rabbi relative to
| be educated and afterward got a place
| in the bank, where he developed remark
| able business talent. When his father
| died he came home. took his house. his
| trade prospered, became influential among
! his race, gained the respect of Christians
as well as Jews, and was called Anselm
! of the Red Shield, or Won Rothschd
! But his fame was only local until he
| made the acquaintance of Baron Won Es-
/ troff, then landgrave Of Hesse. who was
a coin collector, and sent for Anselm one
| day to make some purchases. When the
| latter arrived the baron was engaged in
| a game OF chess and could not be disturb
| ed. The Jew stood by patiently and
watched the play. The baron was check
| ed, it seemed. hopelessly, and, turning to
| the Jew, he said:
! do you play chess?'
Sometimes" was the answer
What would you do If you were i'm my
fx?"
The Jew modestly pointed out a move
which the baron accepted and followed
his advice through the rest Of a game that
| was soon won. After that Anselm spent
good deal of time playing chess with
| the landgrave who prided himself on his
ability to beat every one of his subjects
| The baron and the coin merchant thus
| became great friends, and there was con-
| siderable business between them I'm the
| way OF loans and discounts. IL was Baron
Won Estroff who sent 1890 Hessan sol
diers to America during the war of the
| revolution, to fight on the British side
and received a large sum OF money for
| their services. When Napoleon came along
few years after the baron had saved
! OF IL about 100000 thalers in coin, which
ceal for him so that It might escape the
! French army. Anselm accepted the trust
without responsibility. and, as the story
| goes, dropped the bags OF coin TO the bot
| tom of his well. The French soldiers
| plundered his house and took away every
/ thing valuable that belonged to him but
! the landgrave's money was overlooked.
As soon as the army had passed on ana
| he could do so without being suspected
| Onselm loaded the treasure on the back of
"A donkey and started for England, where
] he intrusted II to his son. Nathan,
| young man who had gone to London
\ few years before and was doing a modest
| business in shaving notes and in the com.
/ mission way. There the father and son
| quietly bought. a little nc a time, large
| blocks OF English. Austrian and German
/ securities, which were depressed by the
war. Anselm went back to Frankfort,
| and there speculatod with some Of the
money it was nine years before the land
! grave returned. In the meantime his
| money had quadrupled. and Anselm Roth.
/ child returned 81 20 him. with interest al s
| per cent, which OF Itself amounted to
| $4,000. n small fortune. A. hrst the iand-
"A.