Emancipation in Europe

Political Emancipation in Europe
Sachar pgs. 73-99

Emancipation was a major goal of European Jews of the 19th century, and led to active participation of Jews in civil society.

Brief History
• Jews were subject to a wide range of restrictions in Europe. They were required to wear special clothing a yellow badge to differentiate them from others.
• Practicing Judaism was restricted.
o Pope Leo XII enforced all Jews to attend papal sermons and attend Mass on Christian holidays.
• Jews were not allowed to vote and/or run for public office.
• They needed special permission to leave certain areas of their countries and were forbidden from leaving or entering another country.
• Jews were obliged to take special oaths in law courts and pay special “Jew taxes” even for legal residence and business permits.

Rabbis were the most significant members of the Jewish communities. In addition to leading a religious congregation, rabbis also acted as judges in cases in which both parties were Jews. This was not uncommon for religious communities to have their own judicial system as long as cases involved only those in the community. The rabbinate was a desired position for many Jewish boys because of the rights and power it would grant them.

In 1791, France became the first European country to emancipate its Jewish population. By 1796, France, Britain, and the Netherlands had granted the Jews equal rights with gentiles. It was not until the 19th century that revolutionary political movements would begin to persuade governments in Central and Eastern Europe to grant equal rights to Jews.

Early Movement

Thirteen years after the Jews of France were liberated from Napoleon’s Decree which “inflicted gratuitous restrains upon Jewish economic activity,” King Louis-Phillippe reinstated parts of Napoleon’s decree limited to the “supervision of Jewish religious activities,” Jewish businesses, and Jewish patriotism and military service. The Jews of France, although partially liberated, traveled south and set up new businesses in Paris. They took up new work in retail and wholesale commerce and established many small businesses.
Other Jews in Europe did not have such rights, especially in Germany. The Jews looked for help from Prussian politicians, Karl August von Hardenberg and Wilhelm von Humboldt. They tried to create a “loose German confederation” in which there would be provisions on the Jews. They created a statement, which was passed, called Article 16 of the Treaty of Vienna. It assured the Jews of “all rights heretofore granted them in the several states [of Germany]” Before the article was ratified, the Mayor of Bremen changed the wording from “in the several states” to “by the several states” which changed the entire ruling.

• The defeat of Article 16 caused many young Jews to immigrate to the United States.
• Violent riots broke out in Jewish ghettos.
o Many riots were caused by Christians. When reported to police by local Jews, the Jews were blamed for the destruction regardless of the evidence.
o Jewish homes were looted and Synagogues were burned.
• “In Prague, as late as 1830, less than 10,000 ‘tolerated’ Jews were permitted within the city limits.”

Mid-19th Century Change

During the 1820’s, Europe’s new middle-class as well as young student activists turned to the cause of political and national freedom for all people of Europe. As Europe moved further into the 19th Century, a more liberal view towards the government’s rule and policies was on the rise. “By the 1840’s, the Jews’ struggle for civil rights, if still unconsummated throughout most of West-Central Europe, reflected their impressive trajectory of economic progress.”

• Jews began to participate in the German stock exchanges, as it was selectively open to Jews in some German states.
• By 1847, Prussia approved legislation authorizing Jews to hold lower-level government and academic positions.

Although still not fully emancipated, Jews were beginning to significantly expand their position in European society. “The evidence of Jewish embourgeoisement was becoming too palpable to ignore.” Because they were only allowed limited positions in public office, many Jews began to get their voices heard by acting as writers and publishing books and articles. However, there was still a great deal of anti-Semitism throughout Europe.
Because of violent incidents such as the Damascus affair of 1840, and the failure of many European states to emancipate Jews, many people formed organizations in order to push for the emancipation and protection of Jews. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Alliance Israelite Universelle, and the Central Consistory of Paris, all began working toward Jewish emancipation in Europe.

Revolution and Emancipation

In 1848 there were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe. This was due in large part to the radical thinking of a changing European youth. It began in Sicily and spread throughout other European countries, even being a major factor in the French Revolution of 1848. Most of these revolutions were small and taken care of rather quickly however a great number of people were killed. During these revolutions, Germany granted emancipation of the Jews throughout the whole country. Basic Rights of the Frankfurt Parliament stated: “civil rights are not to be conditional on religious faith.”
In 1860, the “Jewish Oath” was no longer required in the courts of Eastern Europe. In 1867, Hungarian parliament reconfirmed Vienna’s imperial grant of equal Jewish rights and privileges. Their article stated: “The Israelite inhabitants of the country are declared entitled to the practice of all civil and political rights equally with the Christian inhabitants.” After emancipation, many Jews who were practically locked out of the rest of the society turned to Jewish political movements, such as Zionism, and were able to immigrate to countries throughout who could offer them better opportunities.