The Denver Jewish news., 1919-01-09


was the first Jew to be permitted to
engage in agricultural enterprises in
Bavaria. During the German war of
liberation In 1s13-14-15, HirSch at his
own expense organized. equipped and
supported an entire regiment of sol
dierS
Baron Maurice de Hirscii. or MOritc
HirSch. Frciherr auf Gercnth. grand
Munich in 1881. His strong opinions
and financial ideas early gained him
the reputation Of n reckless visionary.
Against the strong advices Of his close
friends and relatives, he mixed into
Near East railway project. Despite
innulnerable obstacles. Hirsoh managed
to push the thing through I" n success
ful finish. His railway was the first
one to be built between Europe and
Turkey. and its financial success was
the foundation of the immense fortune
,hc built up in later years.
The Baron was cosmopolite in his
cnH rltleS as ne WIS III MS niaIittti
schemes. All countries-all crceds. But
the particular plight of his own people
attracted de Hirsch, and Eo threw his
heart and soul into a lifelong effort TO
alleviate the condition of the Jews. In
Turkey, the Baron noticed the deplOr-
able conditions Of the Jews in the Near
East. and contributed largo sums to
the Alliance IsraeliG Universellc and
numerous other schools and asylums.
IN 1873 the Baron donated one million
francs to the Alliance. and from 1880
to his death in 1896 paid the annual
deficit of the institution. The attempt
to found Jewish Homeland in Argen.
TINA failed as many such projects in
the past have failed. but for many
money to this effort to reduce once and
for all the centuries old pain of his peO-
pie.
The famous Baron de IIirsch Fund
was founded a few years before the
Baron's DEATH A capital Of S2.5OO.O 900
was set aside for the permanent sup
port of trade schools. for the Baron
believed that much of the 'nhappiness
of the Jews was caused by the lack OF
a practical education. This fund of
twO-and-a-half millions of dollars was
later increased to- found agricultural
schools 1t was one of the BarOn's con-
victions that the Jews were fundament-
ally an agricultural nation. and that
eventually their salvation would be
found in the land.
The M0ntefiOre Family.
The Montefiores were an Anglo-Jew-
ish family originally coming from Italy
The first trace of the family is found
in .Ancona in the year 1890. A portion
! of the family cmigrated to England fihd
founded that branch of which Sir Moses
Montetiore was the most celebrated
Sir Moses was born in IcghOrn. Italy.
in 1874. He inherited good business
from his father. and by application and
steady work become quite wealthy in
the course of a few years. Montefiofe
was made a Fellow of the Royal So
ciety in England. and in 1897 was elect
ed n Sheriff of London and knighted by
Queen Victoria upon her accession to
the throne of England. In 1916 bar
onetcy was conferred upon him.
Sir Moses was pious and very orth-
odox Jew. Despite his extensive bust
ness and social obligations. Montefiore
attended the Synagogue twice during
the week beside the regular Sabbath
observance. He made it a strict rule
never to travel on the Sabbath and
'ivcd according to the JEWS dietary
avs. Montefiorc visited the Holy land
seven times. the last time at the age
of nincty-One.
Sir Moses was n contributor TO every
philanthropy of lis time. His magnetic
personality made him very popular.
Twice did Montcfiorc find It necessary
to go TO the Car of Russia to protest
against the treatment of the cars
Jewish subjects. and in each instance
his request for better treatment was
granted.
The House of The Red Shield.
The Rothschild family. famous as
bankers to the world. derives its name
from the sign of Red Shield which
hung over the doorway at Number 14S
in the Judengasse in Frankfurt-am.
Main. Germany. From small merchants
in 174G. the family grew until by the
end of the century. il had attained the
reputation it still holds in the financial
world today. The founder of the fam
lily, Anschel Ro!hscbild built up n small
business in Frankfort, out of which his
sons managed to give loans. The grand
son, Nathan Mayer Rothschild, was a
,l,, y1,