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Decrees Collection

AR 379, #85, recto
(1/5) On Nov. 15, 1680, Wir Friedrich Wilhelm von Gottes Gnaden ... des Heyl. Röm. Reichs Ertz-Cammerer und Chur-Fürst … zu Magdeburg - the Elector of Brandenburg regulated the Jews’ participation in his country’s trade with metals. (Leo Baeck Institute Archives, AR 379, #85, recto)
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AR 379, #49, page 1
(2/5) On August 31, 1712, The Principality of Wolfenbüttel decided that no Betteljude ought to be found in the whole country anymore. (Leo Baeck Institute Archives, AR 379, #49, page 1)
AR 379, #114, title page
(3/5) In 1735 the Electorate in Hesse-Kassel issued a list of “notorious Jewish thieves”, who robbed churches and committed other ruthless burglaries. (Leo Baeck Institute Archives, AR 379, #114, title page)
AR 379, #105, pages 1 and 2
(4/5) Frederick William I, Sovereign in Prussia issued yet another decree on January 3, 1737 to halt foreign beggar-Jews. (Leo Baeck Institute Archives, AR 379, #105, pages 1 and 2)
AR 379, #86, page 1
(5/5) … but on February 14, 1817, the Grand Duchy of Baden decreed in reference to its Jewish subjects that they were equals to Christian citizens and didn’t have to pay any protection money any longer. (Leo Baeck Institute Archives, AR 379, #86, page 1)

The Leo Baeck Institute holds an extensive collection of official decrees that were issued in early modern times by various principalities and city states throughout the German speaking world. They were intended to regulate the lives of Jews, who were attached to various princes and municipalities without being citizens. In addition, there were officially unattached Jews, who were dismissed as “beggar-Jews (Betteljuden) and other suspicious rabble”. At the beginning of the 19th century, in light of the all-shattering French Revolution, princes and cities started to ease the regulation on Jews, inching forward to their emancipation as full citizens.

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Decrees Collection (AR 379)

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