The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-28
THE ROTHSCHILDS.
THE FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVES,
OF NATIONS AND MoNARCHs.

How tho Foundation OF the Most Influen-
tiai banking House In tho World Was
Laid-Tho Judengasse at Frankfort and
tho Position of tho Jews.
The city OF Frankfort owes it's impor-
tanoo TO tho Jews and chiefly to the Roths-
child family. 1t Is one Of tho finest cities
In Europe and is tho richest city in tho
world 1or its population, although of late
Berlin mas takon considerable business
away ana has become the center of inter
national banking relations. There are
still ia banks in Frankfort to popula-
tion OF 33S, 600. which Is ono bank to ovcry
1900 persons. Some of the banks have a
capital OF 5000, 600 or so, 600, 900 marks.
Several have over $4,000, 600 marks In
stitutions like the Rothschilds' havea cap
1tai that Is practically unlimited. No ono
knows tho amount
Tho Jews have obtained all this wealth
and prominence in spite Of ostraoisin, per
secution and restrictions of many kinds.
Whom Ansclm Rothschild was born in
frankfort, what was known as tho Juden-
gnsse was separated from tho rost of tho
city by high walls and heavy gates, which
were shut mt nightfall and kept closed un-
til sunrise. On Sundays they wero never
~
frnnkfort, gives graphic description of
the Judengasse, with its filth and saualor
ana stenches, to which tho nerves of it's
inhabitants had been doatlened by long fa-
nlllarlty with tho noiSomc atmosphere.
The walls of the Judcngassc were de-
stroycd by Klebcr's army in 1896 In 1879
tho whole district was condemned ms n
nuisance by tho sanitary authorities and
cleared out, except single row of old
fashioned houses which tlato from tho If
toonth century and were the homes of the
ancestors of rich and influential citizens.
The ancestors of the Frankfort Jews
oano from Palestine, Turkey and Spain to
escape persecution in tho thirteenth, four
tccnth and fifteenth centuries and became
tho scrfs of the emperor of Germany, who
accorded them protection in exchange for
fixed tribute which went into his private
purse. In l340 Charles ", being pressed
Tor FUNDS, mortgaged his lows to tho
municipality of Frankfort for ESQ, 600.
The sum was never repaid, and thus tho
inhabitants of tho .Judongasse passed un-
dor the control of tho city council, which
selected swampy and unhcalthful spot
on the margin Of tho town where they
were obliged to reside and cxaotcd from
them u certain portion of their earnings
or sold their labor at so much n month.
and talent paid dearly for TINT privilege,
but wcro shrcwd enough to mako profit
nnd advance themselves, slowly but surely.
1hey wcro not allowed to use tho side
walk, but wcro compelled to travel with
oattlo and carts in tho middle of tho street
Ihoy wero compelled to wear a distinctive
dress. Every male jew had patch of
yellow cloth upon his breast and every
woman wore blue and white stripes. They
wero allowed only one name
Tho man who lived in 90 JudenCassc.
which was known us "the house of tho
red shield" because of Il sign ovor its
door, wns called Anselm.
The original Anselm was a dealer In old
coins and curiosities He married. and had
boy who was called Mayer Anselm in
order to distinguish him from his fnther.
He was sent to rabbi relative to DO cdu-
Gated, and aftorward got u place in the
bank, where no developed remarkable
business talent. When his father died, ho
came homo, took his house, his trade pros
pered, he became influential among his
race, gained tho respect of Christians as
well rs Jews, and was called Anselm Of
tho Rcd Shield. or Won Rothschild.
but his fnmo was only local until ho
made tho acquaintance of Baron Won
Estroff, then landgravo of Hesse, who
"oo % SOlit COlIcOtOIy uUU SC.1U LOT AnSplnl
one day to mako some purchases. When
the latter arrived, the baron was engaged
in game of chess and could not DO dis
turbcd. The Jew stood and watched tho
play. Tho baron was checked, 1t seemed
hopeiessly, and turning to tho Jew no said ::
DO you play chcss?"
Sometimes, was tho answer
Whit would you do if you were In my
nx?"
The Jew mcdcstly pointed out move
which the baron accepted and followed his
advice through tho rest of game that
was soon won. After that Ansolm spent
good deal of time playing chess with the
landgravc. who prided himself on his ubil-
ity to beat every one of his subjects. The
baron and tho coin merchant thus became
great friends, and there was considerable
business between them in tho way of lonns
and discounts. 1t was Baron Won Estroff
who sont 16, 500 Hcssian soldiers to Amor
lea during tho war of the Revolution to
light on tho British side, and received n
largo sum of money for their services
When Napoleon cnme along Il few years
hftor, tho baron had saved of it about
1000, 600 thnlers in coin, which no took to
Ansclm and asked him to conceal for him
so that it might escape the French army.
Ansclm accepted tho trust without respon-
Slhillty and, as the story goes, dropped the
bags of coin TO tho bottom of his well.
The French soldiers took away everything
Valuable that belonged to him, but tho
iandgravo's money WAS overlooked.
AS soon as tho army had passed on and
he could do so without being suspected
Ansclm loaded the treasure on tho back of
donkey and started for England, where
10 Entrusted it to his son, Nathan, II young
man who had gone to London II few years
before and was doing modest business in
shaving notes and in the commission way.
There tho fathcr and son quietly bought n
little ut time, large blocks of English,