Joachim Edler von Popper
Encyclopedia
Joachim Edler von Popper (20 October 1722 – 11 May 1795) was Court Jew
to the Habsburgs.
He was born Chajim (Chaim) Popper in Březnice
(Breznitz), Bohemia
(currently in the Czech Republic
). He was the son of Wolf Popper, Primator
(Chief Judge) of the Jews of Bohemia.
Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
had a monopoly on tobacco in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Leopold divided the monopoly into leases awarded to Joachim, Israel Edler von Hönigsberg (born Israel Hönig), and Salomon Dobruschka.
On 27 May 1790 Joachim was ennobled as the first "Edler
von Popper." He was the second Austrian Jew to be ennobled as a Jew. In other words, he did not have to convert to Catholicism
or be baptized in order to be ennobled.
Joachim founded the bet ha-midrash in Prague
with Israel Fränkel, and funded the building of the Popper Synagogue.
Joachim did not have any children, but adopted Simon Popper, who inherited his title as Simon Edler von Popper (Joachim Edler von Popper was actually his paternal grandfather's 1st cousin). He also adopted his nephew Abraham Löbl Duschenes, who inherited his title as Andreas Josef Edler von Popper.
Court Jew
Court Jew is a term, typically applied to the Early Modern period, for historical Jewish bankers who handled the finances of, or lent money to, European royalty and nobility....
to the Habsburgs.
He was born Chajim (Chaim) Popper in Březnice
Breznice (Príbram District)
----Březnice is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 3,700 inhabitants.Villages Bor, Dobrá Voda, Martinice, Přední Poříčí and Zadní Poříčí are administrative parts of Březnice....
(Breznitz), Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
(currently in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
). He was the son of Wolf Popper, Primator
Primator
Primator may refer to:* Primátor, a beer by the Náchod Brewery* Primator, a minor character from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
(Chief Judge) of the Jews of Bohemia.
Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa...
had a monopoly on tobacco in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Leopold divided the monopoly into leases awarded to Joachim, Israel Edler von Hönigsberg (born Israel Hönig), and Salomon Dobruschka.
On 27 May 1790 Joachim was ennobled as the first "Edler
Edler
Edler was until 1919 the lowest title of nobility in Austria-Hungary and Germany, just beneath a Ritter, but above nobles without title who used only the preposition von before their surname. It was mostly given to civil servants and military officers, as well as those upon whom the second rank of...
von Popper." He was the second Austrian Jew to be ennobled as a Jew. In other words, he did not have to convert to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
or be baptized in order to be ennobled.
Joachim founded the bet ha-midrash in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
with Israel Fränkel, and funded the building of the Popper Synagogue.
Joachim did not have any children, but adopted Simon Popper, who inherited his title as Simon Edler von Popper (Joachim Edler von Popper was actually his paternal grandfather's 1st cousin). He also adopted his nephew Abraham Löbl Duschenes, who inherited his title as Andreas Josef Edler von Popper.